2022 MARCH ~ Alamo Today & Danville Today News

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March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 1

 MARCH 2022

CAKE4KIDS FILLS EVERY REQUEST WITH A BECOME A FOOD RESCUE HERO! HELP END HUNGER AND COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE WITH HEAPING MEASURE OF LOVE By Jody Morgan WHITE PONY EXPRESS!

For Libby Gruender, Founder of Cake4Kids, the thought of a child left without a birthday cake - not just once, but every year - was intolerable.

The non-profit she launched in 2010 in the San Francisco Bay area with a few bakers delivering 13 cakes the first year, now reaches across the country to bring free birthday cakes to underserved children who might not otherwise receive one. Volunteers fill Cake4Kids wants every child to have a reason to smile on his or requests for layer her birthday. cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and brownies, baking homemade goodness, caring, and creativity into every confection.

To the young recipients of Cake4Kids baked goods, seeing their own name on a birthday treat made specially to order for them is like seeing their name in lights on a Broadway marquee.

They don't just smile, they glow!

Cake4Kids partners with over 400 agencies nationwide supporting at risk or underserved youth ages 1-24. They may be in foster care, group homes, homeless shelters, low-income or transitional housing, or human trafficking shelters. They may have witnessed domestic violence or been the victims of abuse. Many have never been given a birthday cake.

Alison Bakewell, Cake4Kids Executive Director, explains, “The children who receive these cakes have been let down over and over again. Getting a homemade cake or Pauline Costa decorates a cake specially designed to match the birthday child's personal request. cupcakes made especially for them boosts their self-esteem. They realize that someone they don’t even know cares

See Cake continued on page 16

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There is a great new food recovery arm of the local White Pony Express (WPE) group, and they are looking for volunteers.

WPE is on a mission to end hunger in Contra Costa County and now it’s easier than ever to volunteer with the brand new WPE app. The app also is a resource for food donors to signal when they have excess food to give.

Food Rescue Heroes pick up food from one donor and deliver it to one recipient organization. This Photo courtesy of Food Rescue Hero. simple act brings healthy food to those who need it.

See Hero continued on page 17

BONE APPETIT! A FEAST FOR THE DOGS AND A TREAT FOR PEOPLE

By Jody Morgan

Early Alert Canines (EAC) invites the entire community to enjoy “Bone Appetit! A Feast for the Dogs,” on Saturday, March 19th from 5:30 - 7PM. The free virtual event, aimed at funding the care and training of 10 diabetic alert dogs this year, presents an interactive program along with live and silent auctions. Using their superior sense of smell, the well-tutored canines go to great lengths to alert their insulin-dependent human partners to blood sugar levels racing up or down before any lifethreatening change can occur. They will wake a sleeping partner. If they can’t reach their partner, they will nudge another available person into action. Treat yourself to an entertaining interactive event and bone up on what it takes to put a team together.

EAC receives pups raised by Canine Companions and Guide Dogs for the Blind deemed to be more appropriate for service as diabetic alert

See Dogs continued on page 15

The Editors Sਅ਒ਖਉ਎ਇ ਔਈਅ ਃਏ਍਍ਕ਎ਉਔਉਅਓ ਏਆ A਌ਁ਍ਏ, Dਉਁਂ਌ਏ, ਁ਎਄ Dਁ਎ਖਉ਌਌ਅ

Volume XXII Number 3

3000F Danville Blvd. #117 Alamo, CA 94507 Telephone (925) 405-6397 Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Facebook: Alamo Today & Danville Today News Instagram:@AlamoandDanvilleToday

Volume XIII Number 3

The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of The Editors. The Editors is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1471 Sq Ft | .52 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | SOLD 2/8 | $1,805,000

: : 11 Leilani Lane, Alamo

PAGE 2 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

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Alamo Home Sold in 11 Days, All Cash!

WHAT’S THE MARKET LIKE? LOOK! PLEASE READ! Pending in 7 days on the market, 17 offers received 90% of the offers were hovering $1,600,000.

Sold Winning CASH offer $1,805,000 11 day close, Seller and I completely stunned.

This home was built in 1952 and was completely original inside NO UPGRADES. Located on a busy intersection the corner of Tice Valley and Crest. This home is Walnut Creek Schools.

I have been a full time Real Estate broker for over 36 Years. I have never and I mean never seen prices increase at the rate we are currently experiencing. Price increases are out of control and unpredictable.

As we are all experiencing these unprecedented increases make no mistake, No Realtor, Economist, Property Manager, Your neighbor, Your friend, or the guys on TV..."I will buy your house now" currently know what your home is worth or where the market is going in the future.

Time on the market will tell you what your home is worth. THAT IS THE FACT. If you sell your home without it hitting the market you are probably selling the home UNDER MARKET! The Alamo and Danville market is defying all the statistical data currently being produced. The extremely high property values across the bay are here in our neighborhoods!

DO NOT SELL YOUR HOME OFF MARKET!!!

Lastly, I can only tell you todays market and I do mean todays market is amazing if you are a seller and a nightmare if you are a buyer. 16 Buyers are still disappointed that they did not get this home. They are frustrated active buyers today! I spoke to 95% of the buyers.

Great people that just want a home in our area!

Don Magalhaes 925.786.1855 don@compass.com DRE 00897221

Results. Pure and Simple.

Call me today for your Real Estate questions and concerns. I will give you the TRUTH!

BOULEVARD VIEW

By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor and Publisher As I’ve previously written, our family’s “quarantime” project has been to foster and adopt cats and kittens via the local Feral Cat Foundation (FCF). FCF has been serving our area for over 20 years, helping reduce the populations of feral, outdoor, abandoned, and unaltered cats and their kittens. It has been a rewarding experience to be involved with the group, and in under two years our family has helped over 125 felines get healthy, fixed, and find new homes.

That’s not to say everything has gone smoothly or there haven’t been some speedbumps and heartache along the way. Sometimes when things are going rough I start to question if I’m really making a difference. And then I remember “The Starfish Story.”

I first read the story on the website of The Throwing Starfish Foundation (www. throwingstarfish.org). The story was originally written by author Loren Eiseley. It goes like this: “One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.

Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, ‘I’m saving these starfish, Sir.’ The old man chuckled aloud, ‘Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?’

The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, ‘I made a difference to that one!’”

The volunteer-run nonprofit Throwing Starfish Foundation based in Roseville, CA is dedicated to serving vulnerable individuals. Their website notes, “Our foundation believes that even the smallest of acts can make a huge difference.”

Their organization was born from the idea that individuals can work together to effect change in their communities. The Foundation helps foster children, homeless, and others who suffer from unexpected disasters.

A similar group in our community is Fostering Wishes (see their ad on page 4 or visit their Instagram page at @Fostering.Wishes). Fostering Wishes can always use a helping hand. Likewise, other local groups can always use our support and efforts.

Mobility Matters needs volunteers to give rides to seniors and veterans. See

the Mobility Matters notice on page 6. A short stint of your time can help these folks get to medical appointments and grocery shopping.

Perhaps you have time to help in a different way. A front page story describes a new food recovery program via the local White Pony Express group. Can you help them recover and transport food? Or, do you have, or will you have, extra garden produce that you don’t want to go to waste? They can get that to people in need. Their organization offers many opportunities both onsite and offsite. There are even events where the whole family can get involved (www.whiteponyexpress.org/volunteer).

Maybe cake baking is more up your alley. Bake a cake or other sweet-treat for Cake4Kids. See their story on the front page. Imagine how such a simple act can make such a big difference.

Brighten an older adults day by delivering meals to them so they can stay healthy, safe, independent, and connected to our community via Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. Learn more at www.mowdiabloregion.org/get-involved or see their blurb on page 12.

If helping paired with an enjoyable evening is your style, join the “Corned Beef and Cabbage” event (see page 4) to help support our downtown Danville Veteran’s Memorial Building. Or, Zoom into the “Bone Appetit” virtual event mentioned on the front page. Funds raised there will help the wonderful services of Early Alert Canines.

Exercise and help at the same time by participating in Hope Hospice’s “Hike for Hope,” or the “Ridge Hike for Prevention” to support Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. See page 14.

Can you spend one night and mentor a high school student to discuss career, trade school, or other post graduation opportunities? See page 11.

Do you like to listen and talk on the phone? You can give your support to someone who is homebound by offering your time via Telecare. See page 23.

If you don’t have time to give, any of these groups would appreciate financial contributions to their efforts.

With spring on the horizon, and cat and kitten season imminent, the FCF group has several needs. While FCF is both grateful and fortunate to have a relationship with Walnut Creek’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) whose clinic provides many of the spay and neuter surgeries needed to keep the cat populations in check, lack of more appointments and services to prevent exponential breeding is

See View continued on page 6

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March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 3

HIKE for HOPE MAY 14 DEL VALLE REGIONAL PARK

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2.6 miles: easy out-and-back lakefront route that can be shortened to your comfort level 4.4 miles: adds a moderate incline loop

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Tax-Deductible Registration Donation • $35 adults, age 18+ • $15 youth, ages 13–17 • Free for kids age 12 and under (registration still required) • NEW! $80 FAMILY PACKAGE includes registration for two adults and two youth +RSH +RVSLFH LV D F QRQSURƓW

TheHikeForHope.com DANVILLE COMMUNITY BAND PRESENTS AMERICAN ICONS

The Danville Community Band continues its 20th anniversary season with “American Icons: Bernstein, Rodgers & King!” On Sunday, March 20th the band returns to the stage at the Del Valle Theater located at 1963 Tice Valley Blvd. in Walnut Creek (next to Rossmoor) to present a variety of music highlighting some well-known composers, including Richard Rodgers, Karl L. King, and Leonard Bernstein.

Richard Rodgers is the composer of the musical-writing team of Rodgers & Hammerstein. The band will present music from their first Broadway collaboration, Oklahoma. It could be said that Karl L. King did for the circus march what Sousa did for the patriotic march. Most recognized is King’s piece Barnum & Bailey’s Favorite: however, the band presents The Trombone King which is a thrilling ride to behold. And the musical genius of Leonard Bernstein will be represented by selections from his best-known Broadway musical, West Side Story.

Also featured on the afternoon program will be trombone soloist Brendan Lai-Tong performing Arthur Pryor’s heralded Blue Bells of Scotland. There will be plenty more to entertain you as well and the group hopes to see you there.

The concert begins at 3PM, admission is free and there will be general audience seating. Donations will be gratefully accepted. Face coverings may be required to be worn by all guests age two and over.

For more about the band and future performances, visit www.danvilleband.org, or “Like” the Danville Community Band group page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/danvilleband.

A CELEBRATION OF ST. PATRICK'S DAY AND THE IRISH

In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, on March 17th at 11:30AM the Museum of the San Ramon Valley will present a special free virtual program on the Irish. This program will focus on Irish immigration and specifically on some Irish immigrants who had a large impact on our community.

To open the program, Elizabeth Creely from the Irish Consulate will join for a brief introduction of Irish immigration to San Francisco during the gold rush.

Steve Minnear, historian for the city of Dublin, CA, will speak about Irish immigrants including Michael Murray, and Jeremiah and Eleanor Fallon.

Learn about the interesting impact these immigrants had on our local community.

Please join for this fun and informative Join Us online presentation. To attend, please visit March 17 | 6:00 pm museumsrv.org and go to the “Events” San Damiano Retreat section or call 925-837-3750.

710 Highland Drive | Danville, CA The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is Adults: $40 | 12 and Under: $20 located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. The Tickets: sandamiano.org museum is open Tuesday-Friday 1PM-4PM, 925-837-9141 AM PM PM Saturday 10 -1 , and Sunday noon-3 .

Gopher/Mole Removal No Poison Tri-Valley Trapper

925-765-4209

PAGE 4 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

HER SIDE OF THE STORY

TALES OF CALIFORNIA PIONEER WOMEN The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is presenting an exhibit that illuminates the hardships, joys, and life of pioneer women in California. These women will tell, in their own words, the story of traveling by land and sea to settle in California prior to statehood.

In 1900, The Association of Pioneer Women of California formed and collected the reminiscences of women who arrived in California before 1854 in a single ledger. This incredible document, filled with over 800 handwritten stories of California pioneer women, and in the collection of The Society of California Pioneers, is the basis for this exhibition. Together, the ledger and exhibition create a more complete and balanced understanding of our shared history, by highlighting the voices of women who traveled to California.

The ledger, however, does not represent all women. As such, an important section of the exhibition is comprised of diverse portraits of unidentified women.

These women represent the thousands of pioneers whose stories were never recorded; each one had a story to tell which is lost to time.

This exhibit runs through May 22nd.

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville.

The museum is open Tuesday-Friday 1PM-4PM, Saturday 10AM-1PM, and Sunday noon-3PM. For more information visit museumsrv.org or call 925-837-3750.

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Come Downtown D wn n to Shop local al al ~ Embellish for Mardi Gras 3/1 ~ Gather Lucky Charms Daily ~ Meet Fairytale Folk Artist 3/16 /16 ~ See Irish “Greening” 3/17 and stroll with Ghosts of Tao House Ho 391 Hartz Avenue, Danville

925-837-2664 open Daily

Instagram: Cottage_Jewel_Antiques es

Diablo Magazine’s “Best Place to go Treasure Hunting”

Look what you did!

SRV GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society (SRVGS) was organized in 1985 to provide its members with resources, assistance, and educational opportunities that help them successfully research their ancestry.

You are invited to join the Tuesday, March 15th, 10am ZOOM meeting with a presentation by Christine Cohen entitled “Immigration Ports of Entry.” A native Californian, Christine is a long-time member of the Whittier Area Genealogical Society (WAGS). In addition to WAGS, she is also a member of the El Redondo Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, and the Association of Professional Genealogists. Her interest in genealogy began in 1977 with the airing of the TV mini-series “Roots” and when she found a typed pedigree chart of her Dutch heritage from the New Netherlands circa 1660’s.

To become a member of SRVGS, visit srvgensoc.org and click on the “Join SRVGS” tab on the left side of the home page. To attend this meeting as a guest, please email your request to Steve Watty at president@srvgensoc.org.

Help us celebrate again and enjoy our annual

combined

Veteranss Service e Organization n

Fundraiser Tickets $50.00 Saturdayy March h 19,, 2022 2 att 5:00 0 PM Veteranss Memoriall Building g Main n Halll 400 0 Hartzz Avee Danville,, CA A

All funds collected go directly to the Veterans Memorial Building Operating Committee to pay for the operating expenses of the Veterans Wing of the building PURCHASE E TICKETS S AT T THE E VMB B IN N DANVILLE Or Contact Dennis Giacovelli at houseworks@pacbell.net or Lee Halverson at lhazmateer@aol.com for tickets

LIBRARY BOOK SALE

* $55,000 in gifts and donations * 350+ kids served * Unlimited smiles The Fostering Wishes team would like to thank our community of local business owners, volunteers, and generous donors. You brightened the holidays of our local foster children.

All kids need is a little help, a lot of love, and a community that believes in them.

We are always looking for more volunteers to contribute and help with our ongoing programs. To learn more visit our Instagram site @Fostering.Wishes.

To donate use the QR code.For questions email fostering.wishes@outlook.com.

The Friends of the Danville Library are hosting a pop-up used book sale to raise money for our local library! There will be lots of new titles Lend a hand, take a step, change including fiction, non fiction, children’s books, and cookbooks. Most hardbacks will be priced at $2 and most paperbacks at $1. Excellent condition 2020 and 2021 bestsellers will be sold at a higher price.

The sale will be held indoors in the Mt. Diablo Room of the Danville Library located at 400 Front Street, Danville. The room will provide greater spacing than large books sales allowed in the past.

The next book sale will be held Saturday, March 26th from 10am to 2pm each day. Come stock your shelves for wintertime reading!

GRANTS APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED

The Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley announces its annual grants program. The Club provides grants to dozens of organizations and projects each year. Grants range from $500 to $3,000. Kiwanis is committed to making a difference in the lives of all people living in our community.

Applications will be accepted through March 7th.

For full details and guidelines for applications visit www.srvkiwanis.org/grants.

a life.

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March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 5

LOCAL MARKET REVIEW BEFORE THE SPRING REAL ESTATE SEASON

By Joe Gatti

For this month’s article, we will review our local market from January 1st to February 15th.* Historically, the spring market kickoff is in mid-February, with the expectation that more detached home inventory will enter the market and more buyers will be in a place to make big financial decisions regarding home purchases in the months to come. The national average for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage was 4.2% on February 15th, a full point increase from its 3.19% mark on December 24th, 2021.** Let’s see how our greater Danville area fared during the first month and a half of 2022.

Alamo: At this point in 2021, seventeen Alamo properties had been sold. In 2022, fifteen homes have closed escrow, with the selling range starting at $1,730,000 at the low end, and $5,000,000 for the highest priced home. The majority of newly listed homes in Alamo entered the market in the $2 million range (eight), and continued low inventory and high buyer demand resulted in the median sold price reaching $3,000,000.

Blackhawk: As of this writing, there were nine properties for sale in Blackhawk. In 2021, eleven properties sold by mid-February, compared to only four sold this year. Of those sold in 2022, two sold in the high $2 million range ($2,685,000 and $2,900,000) and two sold in the high $3 million dollar range ($3,715,000 and $3,999,500). Look for this area’s sold home total to catch up to 2021 levels as we progress through the spring. The median sold price for Blackhawk homes is currently $3,307,500.

Danville: Danville currently has the highest number of active properties in our area (28), and the second highest number of sold properties in the greater Danville area, with 40 total homes closing escrow. The selling prices for Danville spanned a much broader range, creating more opportunity for a broader buyer pool. This range spans from $1,285,000 to $5,750,000. The median sold price for Danville reached $2,148,750.

Diablo: Diablo has remained consistent with home sales when compared to 2021. Three properties are currently active. Three properties have sold with the entry price being $2,200,000 and the other two sold homes being at a more characteristic price point for Diablo, which were $3,400,000 and $3,630,000, respectively.

San Ramon: As of this writing, 27 active properties were available in San Ramon. This area had the most properties sold thus far in 2022, with 49. Like Danville, San Ramon had a much broader price range for buyers to choose from with the entry sold price starting at $1,100,000 and the highest sold price reaching $3,396,001.The median sold price during this period reached $2,025,000, which is a new milestone for the San Ramon area.

Looking forward, the spring market is a time for higher home inventory and, specific to this year, the anticipation that the Federal Reserve will start raising interest rates in March to combat rising U.S. inflation levels. I will be watching as the year progresses on how these potential rate increases affect the price levels buyers pursue and whether such increases have a direct effect on the amount of multiple offers properties receive, the average period of time a home is on the market, and, ultimately, local home price levels. The spring and summer real estate seasons will likely be similar in nature to the last two years, but I will be interested in revisiting the topics discussed here in July or August for comparison. In the meantime, have a wonderful spring!

I hope you found this article helpful. I’ve been serving our real estate community for 10 years now. Ron Gatti, my business partner and father, has been a full-time real estate professional for over 40 years, all in the greater Danville area. We both are Associate Brokers with Compass out of the 15 Railroad office in downtown Danville. If you have any real estate questions during this extraordinary time or have questions about this article please email GattiRealEstate@gmail. com or call Joe Gatti at 925-588-3590. Our services are here for you! *Data taken from the MLS during specific dates and under the criteria mentioned within the article. **www.bankrate.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates.

Recent Activity in Your Community!

As Danville Natives, We Know Danville and the San Ramon Valley Coming Soon!

Sold!

Pending

Represented Buyer

137 Gaywood Rd, Westside Alamo

45 Corte Nogal, Westside Danville

10 Hilferd Way, Westside Danville

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Call us regarding how our Compass Concierge and Bridge Loan programs can help you!

Joe Gatti Broker Associate 925.588.3590 gattirealestate@gmail.com DRE 01914487

Ron Gatti Broker Associate 925.596.1972 gattirealestate@gmail.com DRE 00623995

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HELP! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO GIVE RIDES TO SENIORS AND VETERANS

Mobility Matters is a nonprofit agency that gives rides to seniors and veterans in Contra Costa County. Volunteer drivers are needed to escort seniors to medical appointments and grocery shopping. Volunteers must be 25 to 75 years old.

Please call Mobility Matters at (925) 284-2215 for more details. You can learn more about Mobility Matters at www.mobilitymatterscc.com.

ALAMO DANVILLE NEWCOMER’S CLUB WELCOME COFFEE

Are you new to the area or are you a long-time resident who would like to make new friends, get involved in the community, and socialize with other women? If so, please consider joining the Alamo Danville Newcomer’s Club (ADNC) for a Welcome Coffee on March 24th at 9:30AM. Come to this casual get-together to meet current and prospective members and learn about the many activities offered through the club.

Please RSVP to alamodanvillenewcomers@gmail.com if you would like to attend the March Welcome Coffee!

SONS IN RETIREMENT

SAN RAMON VALLEY BRANCH #128

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Women & Teen Fashion 25 Alamo Square, Alamo (Next to Alamo Cafe) Shop online: hippievibetribe.com | 925-451-2443

PAGE 6 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

Looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining Sons in Retirement (SIR) San Ramon Valley Branch #128. There are monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. Additionally, members have fun participating in a variety of Zoom-related activities including investing, book groups, fantasy football, technology, wine tastings, and more. Members are also now participating in various outdoor activities including golf, bocce ball, bicycling, and hiking.

The next meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, March 16th at 11AM. Hippie Vibe Tribe Chic Boutique The guest speaker will be Chad Nightingale. Chad has many important roles The eccentric place to shop. at the Salesian College Preparatory in Richmond. He is the Science Department Chair, the Director of Athletics and the Head Football Coach. He will talk about his influence as a teacher and coach and his challenges in mentoring and developing young students who are predominately persons of color.

If you’re interested in attending the luncheon/meeting as a guest, please email membership@sir128.com. To learn more about the group, visit www.SIR128.com.

“TOWN TALKS” WITH DANVILLE MAYOR ARNERICH

Danville’s Mayor, Newell Arnerich, continues the monthly “Town Talks with the Mayor” series on the first Friday of each month via Zoom.

Upcoming talks include March 4th, Mayor Arnerich will be discussing the Town Council’s goals for 2022 into 2023, and on April 1st join the Mayor and guests for an update on Danville’s Housing Element.

Community members are encouraged to join the discussions. Participants can ask San Ramon Valley Republican Women questions using the chat feature or email questions ahead of time to towntalks@danville.

Federated Scholarship/Leadership ca.gov. Mayor Arnerich invites guests to discuss various topics of interest to Danville Award Application residents. Recordings will be available at www.DanvilleTownTalks.org/town-talks-withThe SRVRWF announces $1,000 the-mayor where you can find all the information for this program, including previous recordings.

Scholarship/Leadership Awards For more information, contact Diane Friedmann at 925-314-3378 or dfriedmann@danville.ca.gov.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Eligible: Graduating high school senior woman planning to attend 4-year college or university, or a woman continuing her college education.

• Residence in the San Ramon Valley zip codes: 94595, 94506, 94507, 94526, 94582, 94583 • GPA 3.5 or better • Registered Rupublican (proof of registration can be submitted when 18th birthday attained) • Demonstrated leadership ability

Please complete a 500-word essay commenting on a recent political action or event from a Republican point of view.

Application: Page 1: Name, address, phone, email Page 2: Biographical information including leadership roles and statement of goals Copy of most recent grade transcript.

Copy of voter registration if age 18 attained. (Can be submitted on birthdate.) _________________________ Deadline for application: March 15, 2022 Submit to SRVRW P.O. Box 1, Danville, CA 94526

SHEEP SHEARING DAY!

On April 23rd from 10AM-3PM, the San Ramon Historic Foundation (SRHF) presents Sheep Shearing Day 2022 held at Forest Home Farms Historic Park located at 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd. in San Ramon.

Come see the sheep be sheared for their annual haircut. Also see how their wool is removed, cleaned, and spun into yarn all while sheep dogs herd the next sheep in line for their haircut.

There will be a sheep dog demonstration, tractor museum viewing, food, tractor rides, and more.

Forest Home Farms was built and settled in the early 1800s and your attendance will make a difference in preserving this unique piece of San Ramon history. Join for a fun filled day on the oldest homestead in San Ramon open to the public.

Order Early Bird Tickets at www.SRHF.org. Tickets will also be available at the gate. For questions, email sanramonHF@gmail.com.

View continued from page 2 the bottleneck that prevents even more cats and kittens from getting help.

I fully recognize that many vets are understaffed and exceptionally busy these days. I also know our communities are awash with people who have both great ideas and good connections. If you are a vet, or know of a vet that could work with FCF and help with a few tame or feral spay/neuters a week, I’d love to hear from you to see if a partnership could be built.

And, if you are looking to bring a cat or kitten into your life, send an email to me: editor@yourmonthlypaper.com. I’d love to help you make a match with a new furry friend. YOU can make a difference!

Facebook: Alamo Today & Danville Today News | editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 7

I’m honored and thankful to my wonderful I]UM`qn Rbm qTMUm wbqM bR Ib` KM`IMà +++++ “Cannot say enough about my positive experience.

So glad I chose her to represent the sale of my home. I was updated with expectations and timelines and she was always available. I believe her level of integrity supersedes all others - even the buyer was impressed with her skills.

The last thing one needs to hear is “volume of activity” yet with her knowledge of the area and KdaaWsaObs sd a| KdbKOobp zOoO O{Oal_W OMà /VO was my point of contact and at the critical time of sale, this is tantamount.

Her method to garner the best price was KdaatbWKBsOM BbM Td__dzOM ø KOosBWb_|Û zWsV B bB_ sale nearly 30% over asking, she knows her business.”

Ruthie| Danville

+++++ “Celeste is extremely professional. She is excellent at negotiating contracts and always has her clients best interest at heart. Her knowledge of the market is impressive and her attention to detail is incredible.

I was trying to decide between two different areas BbM O_OpsO VO_lOM aO sd UtoO dts zVWKV dbO zBp best for me by evaluating all of the pros and cons of each neighborhood. I would highly recommend her!”

AG | Alamo

+++++ “Celeste Pacelli did an outstanding job selling our home. Our home sold in under a months time and with Celeste’s knowledge and leadership the process was near seamless. We trusted her and her associates and they did not disappoint. We would highly recommend Celeste and Compass to any and all family and friends.”

Carol | Alamo See more of my 71 + + + + + reviews on Zillow!

I’m ready to help you with all of your real estate needs.

Celeste Pacelli Broker Associate | DRE 01862387 | 925.395.1511 celeste@celestepacelli.com | celestepacelli.com Top 1.5% of All Agents Nationwide - WSJ Real Trends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals List Top 1% of Agents in Contra Costa & Alameda Counties!

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All masOoWB_ loOpObsOM VOoOWb Wp WbsObMOM Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

PAGE 8 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

SAN RAMON VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY By Jamie Westgate, Principal

February came and went in a hurry, but we were able to pack in so much! One of the best highlights of the month was our 8th grade trip to Washington D.C., Gettysburg, and Williamsburg. We were thrilled to bring back this special opportunity for our upcoming graduates. As you might imagine, this week-long field trip affords students the chance to experience history in a tangible and meaningful way. Whether they were gaining appreciation for those who defend our freedoms by visiting Arlington National Cemetery or standing on the steps of the Supreme Court and considering the significance of our judicial system, our students were captivated by all they learned.

In addition to a better understanding of our democracy and historical events, students also experienced a variety of meaningful life lessons. I’m always pleased and amazed when they recognize the value of visiting with one another! Because our 8th graders are required to leave their cell phones at home, it is often the first true, extended break they have from technology. Every year, students report that being without their cell phones is one of the best parts of the trip. I thoroughly enjoy watching the kids engage in conversation, sing on the bus, or play games on the plane as it reminds me of the value of good old-fashioned face-to-face communication.

Back on campus, students have been busy celebrating Black History Month, making valentines, and honoring teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.

We’ve also been busy meeting new families and enrolling students for the 2022-2023 school year. Coming soon we look forward to the start of the fourth quarter and resuming special events like spring musicals, standardized testing, Open House, and honoring our 8th grade graduates. The next few months are the time of year we pack in so many celebratory events, and we look forward to all God has in store!

www.yourmonthlypaper.com | Instagram: @Alamoanddanvilletoday | #atdtnews

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MONTE VISTA HIGH

By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal

CATCH UP ON SOME “ZS”

MARCH MADNESS

By Jaime Kaiman, Monte Vista High, Junior As we head into the third month of the year, things are once again changing. The mask mandate has been lifted in the majority of public places, the weather is getting warmer, and it’s beginning to stay lighter outside for longer. It’s hard to believe that two months of the year have passed, and that we are almost at the two year mark of when the pandemic started. We have come such a long way from March of 2020 to where we are now.

Back in 2020, I remember hearing that we were going to be on lockdown. On the last day of school before the quarantine began, I jokingly said to my friends, “See you next school year.” Nowhere, in a million years, did I actually think that statement would not only come true, but be an understatement. Moving on to March of 2021, everything felt strange.

It was the middle of second semester and I was starting to feel the effects of online school. I missed my friends and the shenanigans that would go on in the classroom.

I was also wondering if we would have to be in online school the following year, and I was starting to get concerned that things would never go back to normal.

Now, in March of 2022, I can reflect on all of the progress we’ve been able to make in two years. Although the pandemic is still very much prevalent in the world, it feels less apocalyptic than it did in 2020. I am able to see my friends in-person again, I have more interactive activities in all of my classes, and I can be winded from walking up a flight of stairs to my next class period again!

All in all, it’s crazy to think that it has been just two years since all of this craziness started. The whipped coffee trends, quarantine work-outs, and even the mad-rush for toilet paper all seem like something of the past now.

Now, we have things like Wordle and new SNL episodes to discuss in-person with each other again. I was even able to have my Junior Prom this year, which is something I never thought would have happened back in March of 2020 or March of 2021. It is so interesting to reflect on not only the progress society has made since March of 2020, but also the progress we as individuals have made. Overall, in all of the madness, we’ve been able to persevere, which is extremely impressive.

As we move into March, Monte Vista’s (MV) Class of 2022 is collectively beginning to see the fruits of their labors as college acceptance letters are received and graduation activities become finalized. In addition, our rising underclassmen are beginning to plan their schedules for next year and our incoming freshman class is preparing to make the transition into high school.

MV juniors celebrated at the Junior Prom held at the Scottish Rite Temple in Oakland. I would like to thank the many parent and faculty volunteers, our leadership students, and our activities director, Tommy Greenless, for all of their hard work in making this amazing and classy event.

On Wednesday, February 23rd, the MV campus got its first look at the incoming class of 2026. Over 600 students and their families toured the campus; met with representatives from a variety of academic, art, and athletic programs; saw performances from our arts and athletics programs; heard about class registration; and learned about graduation requirements from MV’s counseling team. The event was an incredibly positive way for us to share great things about MV. Hats off to MVs Counseling Department for putting this event together and to the parents and students who represented their programs and organizations at the event.

MVs Winter Musical “9 to 5” will open on March 2nd and run through March 5th.

Thanks to MV’s VAPA teachers, Chris Connor, Rosalind Neisinger, Ryane Siegel, and Ed Cloyd and their incredible group of students for putting together this production.

Winter athletics have concluded their regular seasons and all of our teams are ready to make a hard push towards an NCS banner. Top seeded MV Women’s Basketball opened things up with a convincing home win against Irvington and they are prepping for their second-round game against Castro Valley. MV Men’s Basketball also won their playoff opener vs. Cal High and will now face Bishop O’Dowd in the second round. At press time, EBAL Champion MV Women’s Soccer team is preparing for their opening NCS playoff game vs. Granada and MV Men’s Soccer is squaring off with Las Lomas. Finally, MV Wrestling, led by EBAL Champion Miles Garcia, is sending nine wrestlers to the NCS tournament this weekend.

Congratulations to all of these athletes and their coaches for a great winter season.

As things open up around our community, I invite everyone to come and support MVs amazing students as they continue to represent our community in such positive ways.

Facebook: Alamo Today & Danville Today News | editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 9

DUDUM REAL ESTATE GROUP W H E R E R E A L E S TAT E I S S T I L L P E R S O N A L

JUST LISTED

JUST LISTED

PENDING

PENDING - REPRESENTED BUYER

1117 CORRIE LANE, WALNUT CREEK 3 BEDS, 2.5 BATHS, 1,417 SF, DUET

817 ASHLEY LANE, WALNUT CREEK 6 BEDS, 4.5 BATHS, 5,200 SF, 0.47 ACRE LOT

702 BUENA VISTA PLACE, WALNUT CREEK 2 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 1,136 SF, 0.08 AC LOT

400 VERNAL DRIVE, ALAMO 6 BEDS, 2.5 BATHS, 2,700 SF, 0.22 ACRE LOT

OFFERED AT $700,000

CALL FOR PRICE

OFFERED AT $849,000

OFFERED AT $5,500/MO

SUZY PECK | 925.200.2988

DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA | 925.878.8047

KORY MADGE | 925.366.9899

DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA | 925.878.8047

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER

2222 HILLSIDE CT, WALNUT CREEK 4 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 1,357 SF, 0.17 ACRE LOT OFFERED AT $1,350,000

447 THISTLE CIRCLE, MARTINEZ 3 BEDS, 2.5 BATHS, 1,430 SF, 0.06 ACRE LOT

200 EL DORADO AVE #1, DANVILLE 2 BEDS, 1 BATH, 858 SF

617 PARKHAVEN COURT, PLEASANT HILL 4 BEDS, 3 BATHS, 2,324 SF, 0.25 ACRE LOT

SOLD FOR $755,000

BRYAN HURLBUT | 925.383.5500

MARGY LYMAN | 925.963.6380

SOLD FOR $558,000 MEREDITH & BONNIE KUMMELL | 925.984.1344

DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA | 925.878.8047

SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER

SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYEER

SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER

SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER

1515 OHARA COURT, CLAYTON 3 BEDS, 3 BATHS, 1,549 SF, 6,608 SF LOT

687 JEFFERSON AVENUE, LIVERMORE 3 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 1,471 SF, 6,208 SF LOT

4090 HAMLET DRIVE, CONCORD 4 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 1,284 SF, 5,580 SF LOT

460 N. CIVIC DR. #406, WALNUT CREEK 1 BEDS, 1 BATHS, 714 SF

SOLD FOR $1,025,000

SOLD FOR $955,000 MEREDITH & BONNIE KUMMELL | 925.984.1344

SOLD FOR $855,000

SOLD FOR $347,000

SCOTT & FONIA HUMPHRIES | 925.298.2249

MARGY LYMAN | 925.963.6380

EVA ELDERTS | 925.726.9409

ALISON J. PETERSEN 925.984.7214

BONNE WERSEL 510.304.3303

BRYAN HURLBUT 925.383.5500

DANI O’CONNELL 925.786.2176

REALTOR® | DRE#01177737

REALTOR® | DRE# 01173288

REALTOR® | DRE# 01347508

BROKER ASSOCIATE DRE# 01892167

SOLD FOR $1,700,000

DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA 925.878.8047 925.482.4142

EVA ELDERTS 925.726.9409 REALTOR® | DRE# 02039328

REALTORS® DRE# 01979180 / 01979181

KORY MADGE 925.366.9899

MARGY LYMAN 925.963.6380

REALTOR® | DRE# 01345227

REALTOR® | DRE# 02067680

DRE# 01882902

WWW.DUDUM.COM

DANVILLE

MEREDITH & BONNIE KUMMELL 925.984.1344 925.980.9952

SCOTT & FONIA HUMPHRIES 925.298.2249 925.998.4444

REALTORS® DRE# 00905114 / 01364056

REALTOR® / BROKER DRE# 02078065 / 01019063

WALNUT CREEK

LAMORINDA

BRENTWOOD

SUZY PECK 925.200.2988

WENDY RAMER 925.899.1989

REALTOR® | DRE# 01224695

REALTOR® | DRE#02013702

SIERRA TAHOE

©2022 The information herein was obtained by sources deemed to be reliable by Dudum Real Estate Group. Dudum Real Estate group has not independently verified the information contained herein and therefore, assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyer should investigate any matters or items disclosed, identified or about which they have concerns to their own satisfaction. DRE Lic. 01882902

PAGE 10 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

www.yourmonthlypaper.com | Instagram: @Alamoanddanvilletoday | #atdtnews

925-831-8310

Meet Dr. Yvonne Hyland & Her Family Dr. Hyland has been in private practice since 2000. She received a DDS degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. Following dental school, she pursued a hospital-based General Practice Residency at the Veteran’s Medical Center in West Los Angeles for two years. Realizing this was not the end of her formal education, she completed a successful three-year post-graduate surgical residency in periodontics. Dr. Hyland’s experience and professional skills excel in every aspect of dentistry from general cosmetic procedures to complex surgical cases. She has placed thousands of successful dental implants and is highly trained in all phases of gum disease therapy, tissue and bone grafting procedures, and wisdom teeth extraction.

Dr. Hyland understands the desire to provide the very best care for the entire family. As a resident of Alamo, she strives to meet community needs by providing unparalleled services for those seeking the finest complete dental care in one location. In her spare time, Dr. Hyland enjoys spending time with her husband Terry, two sets of twin boys, and their three rescue dogs adopted from ARF.

Open Monday - Thursday and the first two Saturday’s of each month.

Meet Dr. Kiranjot Dyal Dr. Kiranjot Dyal graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Thereafter, she attended Western University of Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine to earn her degree in Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) and further extended her studies by completing a general practice residency at UCLA- Harbor Medical Center, where she earned the “Resident of the Year” accolade. Dr. Dyal’s passion for growth in her dental skills shows as she continues educating herself through various classes and up to date courses.

Dr. Dyal’s goal as a dental provider is to provide compassionate care for her patients and make them feel as stress-free as possible in the dental chair. She believes that knowledge is power and understanding what treatment is needed, why it's necessary, and how it can be prevented in the future is extremely important in bettering the overall oral health of her patients and the general public. Dr. Dyal strives to build a trusting and genuine relationship with her patients and their family and friends to create a comfortable dental home for the community she treats.

Facebook: Alamo Today & Danville Today News | editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 11

QUICK TRIPS

By Linda Summers Pirkle TREACHEROUS TOY EXHIBIT

“When there’s a flash, duck and cover and do it fast,” that’s what we were told as children in the case of nuclear attack.

During the early 1960’s in Danville and in small towns and cities throughout the U.S., bomb shelters were being dug in backyards and school kids crouched under desks in preparation for a nuclear disaster. I did not know the details of the crisis unfolding at the time, but I do recall that a few families in our neighborhood hired professionals to build bomb shelters. I hoped my family would be invited to stay in our neighbor’s hastily built refuge -- that is, until my mom and I got a tour. A large door, nearly flush with my neighbor’s landscaped backyard, opened to reveal a dozen steep steps leading down to a narrow concrete cave. As I followed my mom into the tiny room, a single hanging light bulb revealed walls lined with canned goods and provisions. It was clear my neighbors, a family of four, would barely fit into the cramped space, let alone my family of five.

As Sputnik began to ominously circle the earth, most adults focused on the skies. Little did anyone realize that many real dangers were already lurking in their backyards, and on toy shelves in their very own homes.

On a recent trip to “Dangerous Games: Treacherous Toys We Loved as kids,” a hugely popular exhibit at the Napa Valley Museum in Yountville, my husband and I alternately laughed and sighed at a collection of bizarre, yet familiar toys.

The website for the curated exhibit describes the show in this way, “It is hard to believe so many of us survived childhood, given the treacherous, toxic, yet tantalizing toys we played with as kids. We dove head-first onto slippery sheets of plastic called Slip ‘N Slide, plucked bugs (sometimes edible) called Creepy Crawlers out of plastic goop in searing hot molds, dodged skull-piercing flying arrows called Lawn Darts, and played with explosives, molten hot glass, dangerous dyes, even radioactive material, all in the name of good clean fun.”

One of my favorite pieces in the exhibit is the Little Lady Hot Stove

by Empire. The name so suits it. The “Little Lady” stands around two feet high with six-inch square ovens. Made of tin and steel, its beautiful yellow and green colors are exquisite. A selling point was that the stoves featured wire coil burners and griddles hot enough to cook pancakes. The Empire stove had oven racks that could heat to 500-600 degrees Fahrenheit!

The Atomic Energy Lab Kit for kids is understandably the star of the exhibit.

In its faux snake skin box, the kit which came out in 1950 contained four containers of uranium, beta-alpha, beta, and gamma radiation sources as well as a Geiger counter for measuring radiation. The warning label said, “Users should not take ore samples out of their jars, for they tend to flake, and crumble and you would run the risk of having radioactive ore spread out in your laboratory.” If you Google “world’s most dangerous toy,” the Atomic Energy Lab kit is the winner.

The Napa Valley Museum Yountville is located at 55 Presidents Circle, Yountville. The exhibit runs through April 10th.Their website is www.napavalleymuseum.org.

Linda Summers Pirkle is a long-term Danville resident. To share your “Quick Trips” ideas, email Coverthemap@gmail.com.

LOCAL WOMEN, APPLY NOW FOR AAUW SCHOLARSHIPS

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) DanvilleAlamo-Walnut Creek (DAW) branch has provided over $110,000 in scholarships over the last nine years. The scholarships are to help local college women complete their degree programs.

Applications for upcoming awards are now being accepted. The minimum scholarship to be awarded is $2,000 and will be paid no later than June 30, 2022.

Applicants must be US citizens and entering into their junior year or higher, at an accredited 4-year college or university, no later than the fall of the upcoming school year after which they apply for the scholarship.

To apply, and for a complete description of requirements, visit daw-ca. aauw.net/aauw-scholarship-application.

Applications must be completed and postmarked by March 11, 2022.

VOCATIONAL FAIR

VENDORS NEEDED, SAVE THE DATE Vendors are needed for the upcoming Vocational/ Education Career Fair to be held at San Ramon Valley High School Commons on April 14th from 4-7PM. The goal of the trade-show style fair is to help students think and consider all of their options as they move on from high school.

If you can talk to students about your business or vocation at this one-night event, email vocational-supercommittee-staff@srvusd.net, or visit https://sites.google. com/srvusd.net/cac/vocationaleducation-career-fair.

TRI-VALLEY CAMP & SCHOOL FAIR

On Saturday, March 26th from 11AM – 2PM a Camp and School Fair will be held to showcase upcoming programs.

The Tri-Valley Camp & School Fair is a free event with over 50 booths for camps, schools, preschool, S.T.E.M. and S.T.E.A.M. programs, sports, cooking, enrichment, performing arts, scouts, and YMCA. There is free admission and free parking. The event will be held at Pine Valley Middle School Auditorium located at 3000 Pine Valley Rd., San Ramon.

For more information call 925-408-4014 or visit www.

TriValleyCampFair.com.

PAGE 12 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

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VALLEY VIGNETTE By Beverly Lane IRISH IN THE SAN RAMON VALLEY St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and several Irish immigrant stories from the San Ramon Valley have recently come to light. Dublin is not the only place which had Irish founders and settlers.

For example, during the nineteenth century San Ramon was sometimes called Limerick. In the first History of Contra Costa County (published in 1882), the author stated “San Ramon ---This is the name given to the Post-office at which is usually known as the village of Limerick…”. Limerick was generally in the area south of the main village. After the San Ramon Branch Line railroad came from Martinez to San Ramon in 1891, Limerick as a name was rarely used.

There were a number of San Ramon settlers who were born in Ireland or whose parents came from Ireland.

Some immigrated early in the nineteenth century and some departed when the potato famine devastated Ireland beginning in 1845. Three were James Barrett, J. D. Horan, and Thomas Nash.

The most prominent San Ramon Irishman was William Lynch who was a young Catholic from New York who came to California in 1849, met the Leo Norris family in Mission San Jose, and moved with them to San Ramon William and Mary Norris Lynch late in 1850. A carpenter by trade, he built the first wood framed house in the area for the Norris’s. He married Mary Norris, settled down, and became an important local leader. At one point the little village was called Lynchville.

James Witt Dougherty, a fifth-generation Scots-Irish Presbyterian, was also very prominent. He purchased half of Jose Maria Amador’s Rancho San Ramon in 1852. He added more property and became the largest landowner in the Dublin/San Ramon area.

He was elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors when it was first organized. Today, his former ranch is full of new homes, schools, businesses, and parks in the eastern part of San Ramon.

Danville’s best known Irish settlers were the McCauleys: Mary, Edward, and their large family. Beginning in 1868, they owned a substantial ranch off today’s Diablo Road. In 1892, they purchased four lots in Danville after John Hartz subdivided his property east of the railroad track. They built and managed the Danville Hotel on lot 9 and family members ran the hotel for decades. At one point Edward tried to get a liquor license, but was defeated in the effort because of temperance sentiments. Mary McCauley’s pies were famous. Molly McCauley and her sister Nellie M. Parker ran the place during the twentieth century. The Hotel and McCauley house are still on Hartz Ave. today.

Danville is now a Friendship City with New Ross in Ireland. This recognizes the Irish roots of playwright Eugene O’Neill who wrote his last, great plays at Tao House while living in Las Trampas hills. O’Neill famously said that critics should recognize that he was Irish in analyzing his plays.

James Witt Daugherty 1813-1879 Alamo had its share of Irish, with Mary Dixon Henry of Henry Hotel fame being born in Ireland. The hotel was built in 1854 and called the San Ramon Hotel until the Henrys bought it in the early 1870s. It was a town landmark on the corner of Stone Valley Road and Danville Blvd. until 1955.

Another couple, Lawrence and Hannah Smith, were born in Ireland and moved to Alamo in the 1870s. They owned a large ranch east of Alamo until the 1930s when it became one of Alamo’s first homes development -- Alamo Oaks. The Smith ranch house still stands.

Plan to celebrate two Irish-related local events on March 17th. A Museum of the San Ramon Valley virtual lecture on the Irish in California with stories about local Irish is scheduled for 11:30AM. Join the presentation by clicking “Programs” on the museumsrv.org site. In addition, several buildings in town will be lit up in green that evening. This is part of an international event called Global Greening which is promoted by Tourism Ireland to Danville Hotel c. 1900 remind Irish immigrants of their home country. Take a drive around and see the museum and city halls in San Ramon and Dublin illuminated in green.

Thanks to Bill Clarkson, Steve Minniear and Sharon Burke for helping research this article, to Virgie Jones in Remembering Alamo, and to Irma Dotson for her McCauley information in the book San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific.

EBRPD TRAILS CHALLENGE

Every year over 10,000 people participate in the free, self-guided hiking and bicycling programs to explore the East Bay regional parks and to keep fit outdoors.

The 29th annual Trails Challenge is sponsored by the Regional Parks Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD).

The 2022 Guidebook includes 20 detailed trail descriptions available for all levels of fitness. There are trails open to hikers, bicyclists, dogs, and equestrians, and some trails are wheelchair accessible. To complete the challenge, hike five of the 20 trails, or 26.2 miles of trails within the EBRPD. You can submit your log, online or by mail, by December 1, 2022 and receive a commemorative pin, while supplies last.

All 20 featured trails are available on the AllTrails app. Download the free app, sign up, and log in. Then go to www.alltrails.com/lists/ebrpd-trailschallenge-2022 and click on “Copy to my lists,” followed by “Continue in App.” The featured trails will show under ‘Lists’ in ‘Plan.’ The app indicates where you are on the trail, enabling easy return to the trail if you stray from it. You can also record your hikes and share your photos and comments with other park users.

Visit www.ebparks.org/trails-challenge to download the 2022 Trails Challenge Guidebook, trail maps, the Trails Challenge Log Form, or to submit your Log Form.

MEALS ON WHEELS FRIENDLY HELPER PROGRAM

The Meals on Wheels (MOW) Diablo Region Friendly Helper Program (FHP) assists seniors with their everyday errands, such as grocery shopping and picking up medications at a local pharmacy. This pilot program makes it easier for seniors to remain at home. “With most of our seniors sheltering-in-place, MOW Diablo Region can now provide another essential service that our seniors truly need,” said MOW Diablo Region Health and Wellness Division Manager, Cynthia Black.

The guidelines below determine if a senior is eligible for the Friendly Helpers Program: • Seniors must be a participant in the existing Friendly Visitors or Friendly Callers program.

• Seniors must provide at least a four-day notice before the errand is to be completed.

• Weekend errands may be available with a seven-day notice.

• If the volunteer pays for any item on behalf of the senior, the volunteer must be reimbursed at the time the item is delivered (cash or checks only).

• There is a $50 limit on all purchases.

• MOW Diablo Region requires all seniors and volunteers to adhere to the Contra Costa County Department of Health guidelines pertaining to COVID. For more information on the Friendly Helper Program, visit www.mowdiabloregion.org/get-involved, or contact Eileen Stephens at estephens@ mowdr.org, or 925-482-2622, or Tuyet Iaconis at tiaco-nis@mowdr.org or 925-891-4872.

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1471 Sq Ft | .52 Acre Lot | 2 Car Garage | SOLD 2/8 | $1,805,000

: : 11 Leilani Lane, Alamo

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March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 13

Danville/Alamo Sellers Are Saying About Don... x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Don sold our personal residence in 2020 in Round Hill County Club The home was sold off market to a Round Hill golf member It was a great deal for all at the time. It was one of the highest comparable prices in Round Hill Don brought us the buyer and we negotiated a very complicated long escrow combined with some free rent back Recently, we needed to sell our mom’s home. I called Don for consultation I was exploring a deal off market to sell the home for $1,300,000 without a realtor Don stopped me and told me “WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HOME WILL BRING UNTIL IT HITS THE MARKET” Do not sell off market, this is a different market than 2020 / currently there are only 9 homes on the market in Alamo Don pressed me to move quickly - very quickly. In 2 weeks the home was on the market We were out of the state and country the entire time all of this took place To prepare home for sale, we obtained termite, home, and roof inspections There was roof, drainage and termite issues, however Don assured me this would be an “as-is” sale We could not be happier with the professionalism and care Don took getting us the most amount of money with no problems Don handled all inspections and appointments. When issues came up, Don handled them. He even crawled under the home which was wet at the time The home is closed. We got so much more than our family or Don imagined As I put my trust in Don as full time realtor with 36 years experience I am very happy with results. The home sold on 2/8/22 for $1,805,000, all cash as-is Don always put my best interests ahead of his or any other Buyers. We had half a dozen buyers and agents all pressing for a pre-emptive offer. Don insisted “No we don’t know what the market will bring until the designated offer date” Thank you for taking the time to read our experience with Don Magalhaes.

If you are thinking of selling a home, I advise you to call Don for his advice.

Zach and Cindy Taylor

WILDLAND FIRE SAFETY AND EVACUATION ROUTES

By County Supervisor Candace Andersen With early rains in the fall of 2021, we were fortunate to escape the destructive wildland fires commonplace over the past several years. However, with limited rainfall so far in 2022, local fire departments are gearing up for a long fire season.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends creating and then practicing a fire escape plan twice per year and making the drill as realistic as possible. Knowing your community’s fire evacuation routes is extremely important in a high stress situation. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District (SRVFPD) has recommended evacuation plans listed on their website: www.firedepartment. org/our-district/fire-and-life-safety/fire-evacuation-plans.

When a fire alarm sounds, never assume that the alarm is false. The alarm is meant to ensure safety and provide an early warning to allow you to exit a home, business, event venue, or apartment building safely in an emergency.

While evacuating, there are several things you can do to keep you and your family safe. If given advance warning that evacuation may be necessary, park your vehicle facing outwards and carry your keys with you. To ensure the safety of your animals, locate pets and keep them nearby. Place connected garden hoses and buckets full of water around the house and move propane barbecue appliances away from any structures.

The SRVFPD has evacuation plans listed for North Alamo, West Alamo, West Danville, Blackhawk, Diablo, the Tassajara Valley, San Ramon, and the Dougherty Valley on their website, www.firedepartment.org. They also list a “Suggested Emergency, Evacuation Kit” which includes wallet, cell phone, charger, important papers, keys, medication, medical devices, prescription glasses, pet food and medication, toiletries, pillow, change of clothes, laptop, and irreplaceable keepsakes.

Cal Fire refers to this process as a “Ready, Set, Go!” guide. Their guide

Don Magalhaes 925.786.1855 don@compass.com DRE 00897221

Results. Pure and Simple.

provides valuable information on how to keep your home safe. Ensuring that you have defensible space around your home is extremely important.

Defensible space is the required space between a structure and the wildland area that, under normal conditions, creates a sufficient buffer to slow or halt the spread of wildfire to a structure. It protects the home from igniting due to direct flame or radiant heat.

It is also important to prepare a safety plan for your pets. Cats and dogs should always be wearing collars and identification tags that are up to date.

Microchipping is also important. If it is necessary to evacuate, try to take your pets with you, assuming it is safe to do so. Pets left behind can be easily injured, lost, or killed. Evacuating early is also crucial to saving your pets. Leaving before conditions become severe will make the process much less stressful.

Identifying a safe place for you and your pets to go is also extremely important. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District has designated temporary refuge areas if you are unable to safely evacuate from the area. The identified area for North Alamo is Round Hill Country Club. West Danville residents should evacuate to Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site located at 1000 Kuss Road. Residents of Blackhawk should head to the Blackhawk Country Club Golf Course Open Space. The Fire District has identified several safe areas for residents of San Ramon: Roundhouse Market and Conference Center Parking Lot (North); Athan Downs Park and Pine Valley Middle School. There are also several identified areas for Dougherty Valley residents including Dougherty Valley High School, Quail Run Elementary School, and Live Oak Elementary School.

To help facilitate communication, fire departments throughout the Bay Area and state have been working on implementing a software program called Zonehaven. Zonehaven has established a shared map with integrated databases that can be used by residents and first responders to communicate about approaching fires or other emergency conditions. Using the Zonehaven program, the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff has implemented a “Know Your Zone” Community Warning System. You can find your zone, along with the latest zone status information at www.cwsalerts.com/knowyour-zone.

See Safety continued on page 17

PAGE 14 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

CLIP NOTES

By Jody Morgan

Sap running in the sugarbush in late February and early March has signaled the beginning of spring and a period of intense labor for generations of North American families. Many Native American legends recount the way people learned to utilize the sweet sap of maple trees. Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum), boasting the highest sap sugar content, is most often used commercially. But in Acme, Washington, Neil McLeod is tapping liquid treasure from Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum).

One version of the original discovery of the culinary value of maple sap relates that Chief Wokomis threw his tomahawk into in a maple tree one winter evening. When he withdrew his hatchet, his wife spotted liquid dripping from the wound. Not wanting to waste a serendipitously provided substance, she gathered the drippings. The meat she boiled in the sap was so delicious, it launched a tribal tradition.

Marc Lescarbot penned the first written description of indigenous people collecting and distilling maple sap in “Histoire de la Nouvelle France” (1606).

Sap begins to run while the ground is still deep in snow once daytime temperatures above freezing are followed by nights below 32oF. Towards the end of the 18th century, realizing gashing trees with an axe shortened their lives, woodsmen began using augurs to drill holes for taps.

Francois-Andre Michaux outlines the early 19th century practice in “Histoire des Arbres Forestiers de l’Amerique Septentrionale” (1810). “In a central situation, lying convenient to the trees from which the sap is drawn, a shed is constructed, called a sugar camp, which is destined to shelter the boilers and the persons who tend them, from the weather. An augur 3/4 of an inch in diameter, small troughs to receive the sap, tubes of Elder or Sumac, 8 or 10 inches long, corresponding in size to the augur and laid open for part of their length, buckets for emptying the troughs and conveying sap to the camp, boilers of 15 or 18 gallons’ capacity, moulds to receive the sirop when reduced to a proper consistency for being formed into cakes, and lastly axes to cut and split the fuel, are

WALNUT CREEK GARDEN CLUB

You are invited to visit meetings and to become a part of the Walnut Creek Garden Club! You’ll find friendly members with varying interests, including: • Creating and improving gardens with new plants and techniques • Supporting garden education in local schools • Supporting local environmental charities with community grants • Learning about the fun of arranging flowers • Volunteering to help local gardens, fundraisers, and plant sales The group meets the second Monday of each month at 9:30AM, September through June, at The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Dr., Walnut Creek.

The group welcomes the vaccinated public to their next meeting to be held March 14th.

If you are interested in joining the Club or for more information, please visit www.walnutcreekgardenclub.org.

2022 HIKE FOR HOPE

www.yourmonthlypaper.com | Instagram: @Alamoanddanvilletoday | #atdtnews the principal utensils employed in the operation.”

Until sheet metal presented practical alternatives during the 1860s, troughs, buckets and spouts were fashioned from wood. Men and boys towed equipment to sugar camps on hand sleds. “It is told of John Alexander of Brattleboro, Vermont, that he once went into camp upon snowshoes carrying for three miles one five-pail iron kettle, two sap-buckets, an axe and trappings, a knapsack, four days’ provisions, and a gun and ammunition,” writes Alice Morse Earle (“Homelife in Colonial Days,” 1898).

According to Morse, youthful exuberance at the outset of the sugaring-off time wasn’t dampened by the grueling work. As the camp’s owner drove the spouts into the tree trunks, boys placed the troughs. Kettles were suspended over level ground cleared of snow. “Then dry wood had to be gathered for the fires; hard work it was to keep them supplied. As sap collected in the troughs it was gathered in pails or buckets which, hung on a sap-yoke across the neck, were brought to the kettles and set a-boiling down.” Workers often spent several nights in the camp. Sap was usually cooked down until it could be crystallized and molded into maple sugar, an affordable alternative to white cane sugar, an expensive luxury commodity in colonial times.

The Coombs family works the sugarbush in Vermont along with neighbors on 3,000 small farms. “Since the mid-1800s, the Coombs family have been acting as responsible stewards of the forest, following a ‘sustainable’ approach to agriculture long before anyone had a specific name for it -- or could conceive of any other way to farm.” With proper care, maples remain productive for 100 years, sheltering wildlife and sequestering carbon-dioxide.

Modern techniques include utilizing plastic piping, more efficient evaporators, and reverse osmosis that maximizes sugar content of sap before it’s boiled down. The sugar-maker who handled 500 taps using buckets can manage 10,000+ with tubing delivering the sap directly to evaporators.

Neil McLeod began making syrup from Bigleaf Maples in 2011 using a 10gallon kettle on a propane ring. His operation keeps growing, now producing 500-700 gallons of syrup annually. His product, highly favored by Seattle’s gourmet chefs, is costly -- about $3.50/ounce. It takes 60-100 gallons of Bigleaf Maple sap to make a gallon of syrup. As little as 21 gallons of Sugar Maple sap can yield the same amount.

LAS TRAMPAS RIDGE HIKE FOR PREVENTION

SUNDAY, APRIL 10

Take a Sunday morning hike with your East Bay community while raising awareness for breast cancer prevention at the third annual “Ridge Hike for Prevention.”

Starting and finishing at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley in downtown Danville, you will choose either a rigorous 10.5 mile hike up the Las Trampas Ridge starting at 7:30AM, a 6.5 mile hybrid walk/hike up the Iron Horse and Camille Trail starting at 9:30AM, or a six mile walk on the Iron Horse Trail starting at 10AM. All hikers/walkers will be supporting the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners’ (BCPP) efforts to stop breast cancer before it starts by fundraising a minimum of $250.

At the finish line there will be an event EXPO and all participants will be treated to lunch/beverages provided by local restaurants. Partnering with the Town of Danville, all proceeds from this event will benefit the BCPP’s mission of eliminating our exposures to toxic chemicals and radiation in our environment.

Register and learn more at https://bit.ly/3fkwKRO.

Hope Hospice has opened registration for its 2022 Hike for Hope fundraiser hike, which will take place on Saturday, May 14th, at Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore.

Registration remains open through the event day, but interested parties are encouraged to sign up by April 15 for a T-shirt guarantee.

Register at TheHikeForHope.com, or call (925) 829-8770 on weekdays from 9AM to 4PM. Hope Hospice is also seeking event sponsors. A Friends & Family sponsorship is also available to individuals who would like to honor the memory of a loved one. Anyone interested in sponsoring should connect with Hope Hospice prior to April 15 so that their company logo/family name can be included on the event T-shirt. Details are available at TheHikeForHope.com.

Money raised through registrations and peer-to-peer supporting donations benefits patient care and helps keep grief support, dementia education, and family caregiver resources available to the public at no charge. The community’s participation helps Hope Hospice care for more than 2,000 East Bay neighbors each year.

Route options (volunteer trail guides are stationed along the routes for safety) include a 2.6 miles: easy out-and-back lakefront route that can be shortened to your comfort level, and 4.4 miles which adds a moderate incline loop.

Start anytime between 8:30 and 9:30AM. When you finish, enjoy a free barbecue lunch sponsored by MCE Corp.

A tax-deductible registration donation requested is $35 adult, for participants age 18 and up, $15 youth, for participants ages 13–17, and free for kids 12 and under (registration still required to get a shirt). A new $80 family package includes registration for 2 adults and 2 youth Hope Hospice is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has served the Tri-Valley and neighboring East Bay cities since 1980. HopeHospice.com. Tax ID 94-2576059.

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BUSINESS OWNER EXIT – THE OPEN MARKET SALE

By Peter T. Waldron, Managing Partner of Waldron Partners

“Exits are great, but it’s better to do it as a choice, not a consequence of bad modus operandi.” ~ Richie Norton Last month we began a three-part series on the topic of how to successfully exit your business. There are three ways to do this: establish a succession plan, create a market to sell your business, or build substantial personal wealth; each of these options has various implications. In part one of the series, we discussed succession planning, including how your successor’s ability to purchase affects you, whether your business has the ability to sustain a change in ownership, and what it means to transfer your responsibilities. If finding a successor isn’t feasible, however, some business owners lean on the market to realize value instead. Whether you use a business broker or an investment banker, selling your business on the open market can come with challenges. This month we will discuss the three main challenges of selling on the open market. These include the inevitable difference that will arise between what your business sells for and what you ultimately receive financially, choosing how to value your business, and deciding whether or not to incentivize your employees through the sale.

The ability to sell your business on the open market is understandably a dream outcome. The actual results, however, are typically not as dreamy. Many business owners go into a transaction with the expectation that they will get 100% of the sale value. They fail to consider taxes (35%), legal fees (2%), an accounting fee (.5%), a merger & acquisition fee (5%), and the cost of business exit consultants (.5%). This ultimately leaves the business owner with just 57% of the original value. While that net result might seem unfair, these parties (not including the taxes, of course) get paid for their services because of their ability to find liquidity and get the deal done. Your focus on the gross sale proceeds is less important than understanding the transactional costs and what you will receive after the transaction. Knowing the net number is imperative because this number could be the difference between financial independence and having to continue to work. Lastly, the reality of closing the perfect deal is far from common, and you might have to kiss a lot of frogs to get what you want.

Before any business owner starts kissing frogs, however, they should develop a realistic perspective of what their business is worth. Many times, business owners don’t understand the true value of their business. While the fruits of labor are born through profits realized, the actual valuation is rarely understood.

For purposes of simplification, we’ll only list the main valuation methods: discounted cash flow (DCF), multiple of earnings or revenue, and enterprise value.

Remember that every valuation tool can be tailored to your specific industry and company. The formal valuation process will not only help you get a realistic sense of the value of your business, but it will also act as a benchmark once you begin to get offers to buy your business. The true value of your business will be the day the proceeds of the sale are placed into your accounts.

While the road from offer to sale closure can take several months to even years to travel, your employees will still need to operate the company without getting distracted. The addition of an incentive program before the sale will help align your company and employees to get you all across the finish line of the transaction. One idea is to set up a synthetic stock program that will give your employees compensation tied to the closing of the sale of the company (this can also be used for long-term incentives). Synthetic stock programs allow owners to coordinate the objective of the business sale with compensation without giving up voting stock (which could conversely hold up the transaction). While synthetic stock is one option, you can also use a bonus program to achieve the same goal. Whichever you decide to go with, it is important to remember the benefits of the carrot, not the stick, especially when it comes to selling your life’s work.

As you can see, selling your business on the open market can be daunting, and the reality of the transaction occurring exactly as planned is not always possible. As mentioned, you must know what you will have afterwards so you can go into the transaction with your expectations set. Once you understand the implications of the transaction’s cost, you should take the time and money to have a formal valuation performed to establish a clear picture of the market

See Exit continued on page 22

March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 15

AGGRESSIVE & SKILLED LEGAL ADVOCACY Protect your rights after serious injury or wrongful death.

Call us today to schedule a consultation.

925-587-9949 “Making the world a safer place, one case at a time.”

Alamo resident since 2002

www.gattopc.com

2540 Camino Diablo, Suite 201, Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Dogs continued from front page dogs. While in training, the pups are kept in foster homes with dog-loving people. EAC pays for all foster care expenses. Fifty dollars a month feeds a dog in training. Four hundred dollars a month covers training costs. Five thousand dollars supports a dog for an entire year. Once they graduate as a team, the dogs are gifted free of charge to their diabetic human partners.

EAC involvement continues with annual refresher programs.

Victoria Briskin, EAC Development Director, writes: “An early alert to shifts in blood sugar is a major relief to insulin-dependent diabetics, especially the parents of diabetic children, who struggle to identify such changes before they result in uncomfortable symptoms and eventual debilitation.” Personal experiences shared on the EAC website document the many situations in which canine partners have provided life-saving alerts and continued to alert until appropriate action was taken.

One recipient, Lia, was on a long road trip when her dog O’Shea first alerted. Stopping to check her blood sugar monitor, Lia saw no issue. Maybe O’Shea was scenting something she’d been wearing when her glucose level dropped on a previous occasion. Proving that dogs are better than technology, O’Shea alerted again. When Lia stopped 45 minutes later, she discovered her blood sugar level was low and still dropping.

Around Danville or Alamo you may spot service dog Jolo with foster mom Nancy Crawford. Jolo is a mellow black lab wearing an Early Alert Canines vest. Nancy is happy to tell anyone interested about her experience fostering service dogs. “Jolo is a particularly smart and sweet guy,” she says. “And a very hard worker, too, with a good success ratio on diabetic Jolo is working hard in EAC training and enjoying alerts.” time in his local foster home with the Crawford Registration is open for family. (photo courtesy of EAC) Bone Appetit! on EAC’s website, www.earlyalertcanines.org. The credit card you provide at registration will not be charged unless you win an auction item or make a donation. YouTube and auction preview links will be shared in March along with participation details. If you have an auction item to donate, such as tickets to a sporting event, gift cards, wine tastings, a vacation home, or Airbnb rental, contact vbriskin@earlyalertcanines.org.

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PAGE 16 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

FACTS VS. OPINIONS

By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO, Inc. Facts and opinions are funny things. Although we are surrounded by a myriad of indisputable facts, for example 2+2=4, our sun is a star, and day follows night, things get a little more squirrelly when we traverse the IT landscape. Here in the IT world, we always hear a blend of facts and opinions. Experience has taught me how important it is to know which you’re hearing at any given time, and to ask a lot of qualifying questions.

Here’s an example. During a recent trip I happened to read a computer article in a local newspaper written by an IT guy from that locale. Paraphrasing his article, he advised that whether you’re on a Mac or a PC, there’s just no need to use antivirus. In fact, he said, what Microsoft puts out for free is all you need because they built the operating system. And he continued, “Macs, well, there just aren’t enough of them out there to care about, so the bad guys just don’t bother with them.” That was the extent of his security advice. He also recommended Dropbox as your “backup” for everything important you need to store. Everything he said was based upon a smidgen of truth, however, taken as a whole, it was terrible advice.

From his article I can infer three important pieces of information. First, he is sincere in his opinions and those opinions are his “facts.” Second, he is a oneman-band. While he probably knows plenty about computers, it doesn’t seem that he has seen either a broad variety of computers or environments. Third, he hasn’t had experience dealing with the harsh realities of today’s security and hacking landscape, which is brutal. I cringe at the thought of how many people may follow his advice and end up in a mess. (For the record, Dropbox is not a secure backup service, and we never recommend any computer to be without antivirus, anti-malware, or anti-ransomware software, or proper backups.)

That article is a case in point of what you need to look out for. Try to spot the well-meaning person who doesn’t have the chops to separate folklore from facts based on broad experience and best-practices. When Portable CIO was an

www.yourmonthlypaper.com | Instagram: @Alamoanddanvilletoday | #atdtnews onsite service company, we had technicians who’d travel around to fix business and residential problems. One of the things I constantly reminded them was to eliminate “I think” from their vocabulary. You either have researched the issue and have facts, i.e., “you know,” or you do not, and “you do not know.”

Facts are important and they help us speak with authority and confidence.

When I was in college, I had a magnificent public speaking instructor named Ben Padrow. During the semester our class had to deliver individual speeches of all sorts, much like Toastmasters. If you’ve ever been in a position to speak publicly, you know how important it is to be well-versed in your subject and to have all the facts on your side when the Q&A session arrives at the end of your speech. Ben Padrow drilled into our heads, “You must read-read before you can talk-talk.” In other words, get your facts straight, don’t wing it, and always replace “I think” with a well-researched, “I know.”

While we’re discussing facts, here’s something you should know about.

Windows 11 has been released, and most newer computers are being prompted to upgrade to the current operating system. From what we have seen, the upgrade goes smoothly and in general we have no complaints with Windows 11. It’s very much like Windows 10. However, a bug has been identified that you should know about. The bug occurs during normal use of the system and randomly pops up a “System Shutdown” dialog box in the middle of your screen, which is rather disconcerting. We’ve researched the issue and nobody seems to have identified the cause. So far, we’ve not heard anything from Microsoft acknowledging the problem or suggesting any work-arounds. Until we see that happen, we recommend holding off on your upgrade. That is, unless you absolutely must have the new OS and promise not to complain about the dialog box randomly appearing!

As a result, and to ensure our clients are given a stable working environment that doesn’t immediately vex them, we’ve taken to “downgrading” new client computers from Windows 11 to the latest version of Windows 10. When their shutdown bug has been fixed, it will be OK for everyone to accept the Windows 11 upgrade, and everything should be fine.

I think the discussion about facts and opinions is an important one. We at PCIO strive to work in a fact-based environment and share our experience with our clients. This approach has served us well over thousands of computers and companies. If this approach resonates with you, give us a call at 925-552-7953, or email info@pcioit.com.

Advertorial

Cake continued from front page enough to take time to do something for them.” Alison joined the team of volunteers in 2013 as a baker, but soon discovered her IT experience could be even more valuable to the organization. “It takes lots of logistics from our whole team to get a cake into a child’s hand,” she says. In addition to bakers, there are operations volunteers helping with social media and fundraisers. They run orientations, write appreciation notes, recruit new partners, and volunteers.

Bakers, however, are the key ingredient in the successful fulfillment of the organization’s mission. They donate all the components that go into preparing and getting their homebaked gifts to the agencies tasked with delivering the treats to the birthday girl or boy.

Jennifer Lopez made her first Cake4Kids batch of Minnie Mouse cupcakes on December 13, 2013. Some of the more challenging requests she’s filled include brownies with a Minecraft theme and brownies decorated to look like Legos.

“Cake4Kids is a wonderful organization with a very simple mission: bring birthday joy to children with a personalized homemade baked treat,” Lopez says. “Anyone over 18 can Cake4Kids fills Winter Nights Family Shelter requests with inspired volunteer for this group, even if they creations like these llama-themed cupcakes. don't think they are particularly talented bakers.”

Pauline Costa discovered Cake4Kids while searching online for volunteer opportunities. She writes: “Their mission spoke directly to my heart. Baking has been my passion (and form of selfcare) for as long as I can recall. Volunteering for Cake4Kids merges two things so important to me: baking and birthdays! Birthdays are very special days to be honored. On someone’s birthday, I want them to feel all the love and gratitude that I have for them and their presence in the world.”

Asked what advice she has for prospective bakers, Costa responded, “I've talked to a few people over the years about volunteering for Cake4Kids, and I always tell them that as long as you love to bake, you have what it takes. If you look at photos of cakes, you'll see a wide range in what people do, but you always see the love that each baker put into the cake.”

Pauline signed up originally with her husband expecting she would bake, and he would deliver. As time passed, his talent for mixing colors for the decorative frosting details emerged. Just before the start A Winter Nights Shelter Continued Success family receives a beautifully boxed birthday cake.

See Cake continued on page 20

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Hero continued from front page Becoming a Food Rescue Hero is easy.

Step 1: DOWNLOAD the White Pony Express app and SIGN UP to be a Food Rescue Hero! For iPhone users the app can be found at https://apps. apple.com/us/app/white-pony-express/id1601298602. For Android the app is at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.whiteponyexpress.app.

Step 2: COMPLETE the New Volunteer Orientation at www.whiteponyexpress. org/volunteer. The orientation can also be done in person.

Step 3: COMPLETE the app-based Food Safety Training. This should take about 10 minutes.

Step 4: CLAIM a ‘food run’ via the app and off you go!

No long-term commitment is required. In as little as an hour you can make a difference by delivering surplus food. Food rescue prevents healthy, fresh food from being wasted.

If you are a local restaurant or catering company, you can set up regular or onetime food rescue pick-ups by contacting Pete at peterolsen@whiteponyexpress.org.

Do you have excess produce from your garden? If so, private/residential donors can bring their excess garden produce directly to WPE, which is located at 3308 Vincent Road in Pleasant Hill (close to Best Buy).

For a list of all volunteer opportunities visit the WPE volunteer page at www.whiteponyexpress.org/volunteer.

Safety continued from page 13 While at the cwsalerts.com site, please make sure to register your cell phone and e-mail address so you can get emergency warning updates. To stay up to date on emergencies, it is also helpful to sign up for Nixle. Local police and fire send out messages via Nixle to keep residents apprised of local incidents.

You sign up for Nixle by texting your Zip Code to “888777.” Updates during an emergency are also broadcast on AM radio channel 1610.

To learn even more about safe evacuation routes and tips for packing an evacuation kit, visit www.firedepartment.org. or www.readyforwildfire.org/ prepare-for-wildfire/go-evacuation-guide.

My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes Alamo, Blackhawk, Canyon, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Rossmoor, San Ramon, Tassajara Valley, and unincorporated Walnut Creek. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos.cccounty.us or (925) 957-8860.

Visit,like,and follow our social media sites!

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March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 17

SPRING INTO ACTION

By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

Spring, which will soon be here, is recognized as a time for renewal and growth; a time to be hopeful and willing to take on new tasks. In that vein, if you have not yet established a comprehensive, meaningful estate plan for your loved ones (or updated an older plan), you will feel good about springing into action!

A professional colleague recently asked me for a reference piece he could give a client of his who he planned to refer to me for estate planning. I thanked him and offered him my “Estate Planning Primer,” covering the topic in reasonable depth. But, he wanted something “short and sweet,” reinforcing that a simple, straightforward summary of estate planning fundamentals could be useful.

So, my goal for this article is to present a concise outline of core estate planning documents, including what they accomplish and why they’re important.

ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS

1. Durable Power of Attorney: You nominate someone who will be responsible for your financial affairs if you become unable to manage your own finances.

Becoming incapacitated without one can result in problematic delays in attending to crucial financial matters. Moreover, an expensive, inconvenient, and potentially contentious court conservatorship proceeding might need to be initiated. Moreover, someone you may not want to handle your finances could be appointed to do so.

2. Advance Health Care Directive: You nominate a person you trust to have legal authority to manage your health care matters, as guided by your stated wishes if you become incapacitated. Without one, a court conservatorship proceeding could become necessary, and a court-appointed health care decision maker (potentially not the person you’d want) would make critical health care decisions on your behalf. Your health care wishes may not be known or followed.

3. Will: You nominate a personal representative (Executor) to oversee your estate matters. You specify who will inherit your assets, and you can nominate a guardian for minor children. If, upon your death, you have no valid Will, the personal representative and the beneficiaries entitled to inherit your estate will be determined by rigid statutory (Probate Code) rules, and such legally entitled persons may be painfully contrary to your wishes. Further, if you die owning more than a relatively low threshold of assets (without beneficiary designations or “payable on death” designations on file), a Probate – long, tedious, expensive court proceeding – will be required to settle your estate.

CORNERSTONE DOCUMENT

Revocable Living Trust (“Trust”): For many readers, especially those who own a home and/or other real estate, this fourth core document is nearly always recommended as the cornerstone. A Trust serves primarily as a “Will substitute,” offering many advantages over a simple Will. You designate a trustee (Trust “manager”) and successor trustees. In addition, you set forth standards under which the successor trustee is to manage your Trust assets during your life (e.g. if you become incapacitated or you’re elderly and want to transition management to a loved one). You also insert provisions that help control your assets as you wish for your loved ones, including those, if any, who are minors, young adults, or disabled. Perhaps the most widely promoted benefit of a Trust is that if substantially all of your assets are titled in your Trust upon your death, your estate will be exempt from Probate.

In addition to core planning, for those who have a net worth in excess of $5-10 million, advanced planning (primarily designed to transfer assets tax efficiently to your loved ones and/or charities) can be very valuable. In the near future, I plan to write an article about this topic and introduce a few common advanced planning strategies. |Estate Planning | Trust Administration & Probate | Real Estate | Business| Please contact me to request a complimentary: i) “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) Real Estate titling brochure; iii) introductory meeting. I am an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group, 1910 Olympic Blvd., Suite 330, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com.

This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors.

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PAGE 18 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

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BODY CONTOURING

By Dr. Barbara Persons

ALAMO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (AIA)

By Roger Smith, President LEARN ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Join AIA for a ZOOM meeting on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6PM with Contra Costa County Sheriff ’s Office Specialist, Farah Ali to explore what is Neighborhood Watch, how you start a Neighborhood Watch group, and more. Find details at www.AlamoCA.org.

NATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION WEEK

March 6-12th is National Consumer Protection Week. The National Consumer Protection Week website provides tools to help consumers with issues concerning identity theft, security, and safety. Find out more at www. consumer.ftc.gov/features/national-consumer-protection-week.

Your personal information may be your most valuable commodity. It’s not only the key to your financial identity, but also to your online identity.

Knowing how to protect your information and your identity is a must. Here are some resources for doing it effectively.

• Protecting Your Privacy - www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-013 • Avoiding Social Engineering - Phishing Attacks - www.us-cert.gov/ ncas/tips/ST04-014 • Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft - www.us-cert.gov/ncas/ tips/ST05-019 • IdentityTheft.gov can help you report and recover from identity theft.

• The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center website accepts online internet crime complaints from either the victim or from a third party to the complainant. Visit www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

• Taxpayers, here are seven steps from the IRS you can follow to help protect your accounts and money: 1. Avoid unprotected Wi-Fi. Unprotected public Wi-Fi hotspots may allow thieves to view transactions.

2. Shop at familiar online retailers. Usually, sites using the “s” designation in “https” at the start of the URL are secure. User can also look for the “lock” icon in the browser’s URL bar. Beware of purchases at unfamiliar sites or clicking on links from pop-up ads.

3. Learn to recognize and avoid phishing emails. Thieves send these emails, posing as a trusted source, such a financial institution or the IRS. The criminal’s goal is to entice users to open a link or attachment. The link may take users to a fake website that will steal usernames and passwords. An attachment may download malware that tracks keystrokes.

4. Keep a clean machine. This applies to computers, phones, and tablets.

Use security software to protect against malware that may steal data and viruses that may damage files.

5. Use passwords that are strong, long, and unique. Experts suggest a minimum of 10 characters but longer is better. Avoid using a specific word in the password, and use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.

6. Use multi-factor authentication when available. This means users may need a security code, usually sent as a text to a mobile phone to access a site.

7. Encrypt and password-protect sensitive data. If keeping financial records, tax returns, or any personally identifiable information on computers, this data should be encrypted and protected by a strong password.

EAT HEALTHIER! TRY MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Scientists have found that replacing just 25% of discretionary foods (desserts, snacks, and sugary beverages) with healthy foods resulted in a huge improvement in overall diet quality—reducing the intake of sugars by almost 21%. Something as simple as trading a few cookies for a piece of fruit can make a big difference in helping you follow a healthier diet.

An excellent source for fresh produce is our Alamo Farmer’s Market. Winter fare includes oranges, clementines, mandarins, grapes, apples, and pomegranates.

The Market is open rain or shine on Sundays from 9AM – 2PM, in Alamo Plaza, off of Danville Blvd., near Bank of America.

AIA SERVING OUR COMMUNITY

Now in its 67th year, AIA, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, has the longest history of serving our community and helping shape it into “the place where we love to live!” Visit www.AlamoCA.org for information on AIA, articles of interest to local residents, membership forms, and more.

The sun is shining brighter and longer, and the temperatures are rising. Spring is on the horizon, and summer feels like it is just around the corner. We all know what this means - shedding our winter clothes and showing more skin. Wouldn’t it be incredible if you could take those unwanted areas of fat and move them somewhere else? Thankfully, we have the technology to do so! The process, called fat transfer or fat grafting, involves removing fat from one area of the body via gentle liposuction and injecting it into a more desirable area. Desirable areas include, but are not limited to, the breasts, buttocks, cheeks, under-eye hollows, hands, and other parts of the body that have lost volume due to the normal aging process.

Techniques in body-shaping and fat-reduction procedures have improved vastly in recent years. Today, the procedure is performed as follows: prior to liposuction, a tumescent solution is placed under the skin to locally numb the area. Unwanted fat is then removed using a safe, blunt-tipped cannula and suction. The suctioned fat is purified and kept sterile to be evenly injected, creating a soft and natural look.

Fat is a glistening, gold color when it is removed from the body, so you will often hear fat referred to as “liquid gold.” Because the fat comes from your own body, people refer to fat grafting as a “natural” surgery. The fat will thrive when placed in a new area without any adverse reaction or possibility of rejection, which has lent to the procedure’s increasing popularity. According to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), liposuction was the second most popular surgical procedure in 2018. Although this procedure cannot remove cellulite or solve obesity, it helps to achieve a slimmer body appearance. It is important to note that liposuction is a shape changer, not a weight changer.

As fat grafting rises in popularity, I have been seeing more and more patients specifically choose this procedure over a traditional breast augmentation using breast implants. Traditional surgery requires an incision, the dissection of a “pocket,” and placement of the implant with stitches to close the incision site. With a fat transfer procedure, there are only small incisions with very minimal scars. The ideal fat transfer candidate is searching for a relatively small enhancement to the breasts, has natural lift with good bust contour, and has excess body fat on other areas of the body.

When it comes to any surgical procedure, do your research! If you are considering fat transfer, or any other plastic surgery, please go to abplasticsurgery.org and make sure your doctor is a board certified plastic surgeon.

It is likewise important to find out how long they have been offering the procedure you are looking for (the correct answer is over ten years!). In my experience as a board-certified plastic surgeon performing procedures of this kind for over two decades, I caution my patients and those considering cosmetic surgery to not be ensnared in the illustrious promise of deals of any kind. Fat grafting procedures, when performed safely and correctly, can be truly life changing for patients of all ages.

B arb ara L Pe r s o n s , M D, FAC S i s a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc., located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She can be reached at 925-283-4012 or drpersons@ personsplasticsurgery.com.

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March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 19

YOUR PERSONAL NUTRITIONIST

ENJOY SUGAR AND NOT FEEL OUT OF CONTROL

By Linda Michaelis RD, MS

Hopefully the worst of the pandemic has passed. Easter is around the corner. Many people are finding their sweet tooth out of control. I am consulting with clients who are consuming excess sugar, be it from candy, other desserts, or sweetened coffee drinks.

Many people berate themselves for having no will power. I tell them people have many cravings be it a sweet tooth, a salty tooth craving munchies and crunchies, or a fat tooth craving fast foods.

The problem is they are setting themselves up for failure by not smartly arranging food in their day.

If you are hungry, don’t begin your day with a piece of fruit, cookies, or pastry.

When you are hungry and your blood sugar drops, there is an immediate desire for sweets. Sweets can be part of the meal such as adding fruit to a salad but shouldn’t be eaten on their own. Treats like cake and ice cream must come after the meal as a dessert.

To prevent sweet cravings during the day, have a lunch that is balanced with at least 4-6 oz. of protein, a serving of a carb such as a 3 oz. red potato, and always have at least a cup of veggies. If you know you will have a cupcake for dessert do not have the potato for lunch.

By having a good, balanced lunch you will feel a fullness and thus you will be able to better limit yourself from the sweet temptations.

Many foods include added sugars. Look at the ingredients list to identify these. Sugar can be labeled as white and brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, dextrin, honey, sucralose, invert sugar, maple syrup, raw and beet sugar, cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, malt, molasses, and turbinado sugar. Note that when fruit juice is listed on bakery goods it is really just sugar.

I teach my clients that on the food label the amount of sugar is expressed in grams. You need to learn that one gram of sugar is equal to four calories.

The guideline that I recommend is not to buy a food for a meal that has more than 10 grams of sugar. For dessert items, I suggest just going by the calories and limiting your selection to ones that are 100 calories or less, since desserts are mostly sugar.

Mid-afternoon, around 4PM, is a notorious time when people crave sweets. Typically you should be hungry around this time if you ate lunch from 12-1PM. If your lunch stays with you for three hours then you have picked a good balanced meal. For a good afternoon snack start with turkey wrapped around a pickle, tuna stuffed in a tomato, a chicken lettuce wrap, or cottage cheese and salsa. Following one of those, you can have a fruit or even a homemade chocolate chip cookie.

This same approach works for dinner. If the meal is part of a special occasion and you would like to have a piece of cake or treat, then eliminate the carbs and fats from dinner.

When I first work with a client that is out of control with sweets they feel they should just not bring them into their home in order to be able to limit themselves. My work is to help them make sweets their friend and no longer their enemy. I do whatever I can to help my client find dessert items that are properly portion sized that they can also enjoy. I also find tried and tested recipes for desserts they can add to their life.

If you are struggling with your nutrition, let me take you by the hand and help get you on a healthy eating plan that you can live with forever, that also includes your new friend, desserts.

Please contact me if you feel that you need an objective nutritionist to create a successful plan. Nutritional counseling can be covered by health insurance companies including Aetna, ABMG, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, CCHP, Cigna, Sutter, UHC, and others. I am happy to call on your behalf and see what coverage your plan offers. Please visit my website www.LindaRD.com to learn more about my services. Feel free to email me at lifeweight1@yahoo.com, or call me at 925-855-0150 to tell me about your nutritional concerns and see how I may help you.

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Join ADAS for their March meeting with a demo by oil painter Bill Parsons on March 8th at 7:30PM. The meeting and demo will be held at the Alamo Women’s Club, located at 1401 Danville Blvd. in Alamo.

Bill grew up in Western Pennsylvania, where bucolic woods and streams stirred the imagination of a creative boy and his dog during hot summer days. Though everyone thought he would grow up to be a commercial artist (as graphic artists were called in the 50’s), Bill, even as a child, was fascinated by fine art. When his family moved to California in 1966, his high school art teacher warned him that the current art system was biased towards abstract fine art exclusively so he would not find an art college that taught realism. Discouraged by this news, Bill enrolled in Chapman College with a double major in religion and sociology. After graduation, Bill entered seminary but by his second year he met an art teacher who had different news. Realism in fine art had made a comeback in Carmel art galleries, stirring Bill’s desire to learn to draw and paint. Bill learned the basics of drawing and painting from his new teacher, Ken More, but more importantly Ken taught Bill the importance of picture composition. Learning composition became Bill’s passion.

By the time Bill graduated from seminary, fine art had made a stronger calling on him. It was then that he married his wife, Diane, who encouraged him to pursue his desire to become a fine artist. Bill enrolled in the Atelier of renowned art teacher David Hardy, who taught the drawing and painting methods of the Baroque artists, even teaching how to prime linen canvas with rabbit skin glue and how to use the black oils known as Maroger medium. Bill was able to combine his knowledge of composition with the techniques from David Hardy’s classes to produce award winning art that garnered scores of blue ribbons throughout the Bay Area and sold at local Art and Wine Festivals.

Visit www.billparsonsart.com for more information on his work.

PAGE 20 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

THE EYE OPENER

SHORT ARM SYNDROME

By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry As I am putting my computer glasses on to write this article, I have found it is becoming increasingly difficult to read, work on the computer, or do any near task without my glasses. As much as we would all like to believe that the print is just getting smaller, deep down we know it is all about having more birthdays.

For those of you who do not buy the conspiracy theory that print is made smaller on purpose by your younger colleagues and children, you can direct your anger at your lens.

The lens changes shape when acted upon by the muscles within the eye, and that allows the eye to focus on different objects at different distances.

Since the lens continues to grow throughout life, it becomes thicker, denser, and less flexible as time goes on. Presbyopia (progressive loss of near focusing ability of the eye due to aging) usually shows itself in your early 40’s when it comes to the point where patients at least start to notice things up close aren’t quite as easy to see as they used to be.

Now for the good news…there are many options to help with the “short arm syndrome.” Depending on your distance and reading prescription, reading and computer requirements, and personality, we can attempt to tailor a solution to this problem.

For glasses wearers, progressive lenses are usually the choice. These lenses allow for clear vision in the distance, intermediate, and reading areas. However, the area on the lens for each distance can be small depending on the type of lens used and the depth of the frame. The newer digital designs are allowing for wider corridors of usable vision, thereby making initial adaptation and vision much easier. Computer progressives are also great task-specific lenses that allow for vision, at the computer and at near, while reducing the need to search for the “sweet spot” for the intermediate area on the lenses for the

www.yourmonthlypaper.com | Instagram: @Alamoanddanvilletoday | #atdtnews computer. The last option is a digital “bump” lens. These lenses are not progressives, but at the bottom of the lens there is an extra bump of reading power.

These lenses have power restrictions (they do not go as high as progressives), but they work for most situations and allow for easier adaptation for first-time wearers. The same as we need several different shoes for different styles and functions, that same need is why more than one pair of glasses is also necessary; different visual tasks often require different lenses. It is possible to need full or occupational progressives, bifocals, computer bifocals, and single vision lenses to help achieve clear and comfortable vision at all near-point activities.

For contact lens wearers, there are many who believe that once presbyopia kicks in that they will no longer be able to wear contacts. While that might be true for some, it does not have to be. Recent advances in multifocal contact lenses allow for vision at all distances. However, these lenses are not used in the same way as progressive glasses. Since glasses are stationary, you can lower or raise your eyes to utilize a different portion of the lens depending on what you are viewing. With contacts that is not possible as the lens always moves with you, so you are always looking through the same part of the lens.

Therefore, you are presented with both distance and near vision and you just pay attention to the clearer image. Sounds difficult, but it is easier to get used to than monovision lenses, in which one distance contact is on one eye and one reading lens on the other. Depending on the prescription and the person, this modality works for a lot of people, but it does require an initial adaptation period.

Obviously, this discussion was not all inclusive, as there are other options available including some that are a combination of the above. I enjoy collaborating with patients to explore all available options to produce the best solution to fit each person’s needs.

Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at (925) 820-6622, or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165, in Alamo. For more information, visit www.alamooptometry.com, and join in on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry.

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Cake continued from page 16 of the pandemic, Pauline’s mother moved in adding her artistic design sense and enthusiasm for researching background material on the themes. Although there are many requests for Frozen, superheroes, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and soccer themes, some are more unusual.

“I love to see the unique requests that will challenge me. I once saw a request for an indigenous American cake, and I immediately wanted to do it because I had never done that theme before," Costa relates. "This past year, one of the kids requested a Puerto Rico theme, and being part Puerto Rican, I had to snatch that one up too.”

Bakers set their own schedule, with no minimum requirement for accepting orders. New bakers must pass a short quiz and attend a 1-1.5 hour virtual basic volunteer orientation (now offered online due to COVID-19 concerns). Reasonable baking and decorating skills are required, but volunteers don't need any professional training. They must follow the CDC, FDA, and USDA food safety guidance. Partnering agencies submit requests including the design theme and type of baked goods desired. Bakers review the posts online on the Baker Portal and sign up for the ones that best fit their available time and talent. The Baker Portal also includes resource information.

Accepting a request for Lego-theme brownies gave Jennifer Lopez a Although the bakers never meet the recipients of their creations, they do get feedback. chance to stretch her creative baking skills.

“When I get a thank you note from a child (or a relative of the child),” Costa says, “it just makes my heart melt.”

One of many thank you notes posted on the Cake4Kids website reads: “I just wanted to thank you for making my son’s birthday so happy. I wasn’t able to give him a party. I’m a domestic violence victim, a mother of four. My income is so low that this cake was the best gift ever to him.” Another reports: “She loved the cake! She was very excited for the cake. She had a rough month and this really brightened up her week. She shared it with her foster family and with friends at school the next day. The cake was so cute too! It was the perfect fit for her.”

Winter Nights Family Shelter is one of about 62 Cake4Kids partners in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. Teri Lundvall, Winter Nights Office Manager, coordinates the requests. “It’s always a surprise what the cakes and treats are going to look like,” she remarks. “For example, one young girl wanted a llama theme. The cupcakes delivered had llamas on one half and colorful sprinkles on the other half. The llamas were so cute, the birthday girl wanted to save the llamas and eat the ones with sprinkles first.”

Some of the additional agencies on the long list of partnering organizations in Contra Costa County are: Beat the Streets; C.O.R.E. (Center for Recovery and Empowerment); GRIP (Greater Richmond Interfaith Program); Hope Solutions; LifeSteps; Monument Crisis Center; Shelter, Inc. of Contra Costa County; and Uplift Family Services. Each of the 31,000 cakes already delivered by Cake4Kids has brought not only a smile to the face of the child receiving it, but also an important sense of self-worth.

The first chapter outside the Bay Area, established in Fresno in February 2017, delivered 288 cakes that year. In April 2019, the first out-of-state chapter was launched in Northern Virginia providing 163 cakes in its start-up year. Costs of starting a chapter - about $7,000-$10,000 - are borne by the parent

See Cake continued on page 23

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AN UNHEALTHY GUT = AN UNHEALTHY BODY

Medical & Surgical Dermatology For Healthy Skin

By Dr. Niele Maimone, DC Unfortunately, many different factors can negatively impact your gut health–including things you may not even realize. You can probably guess some (processed and high-sugar foods, and environmental toxins, for instance). But there are other things, like too much stress, too little sleep, and an overuse of antibiotics that can harm your gut health. And, because the gut is at the foundation of whole-body health, having it out of sorts can damage your heart, immune system, skin, weight, hormone levels, ability to absorb nutrients, and even further disease development.

How can you know if you have an unhealthy gut?

March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 21

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5. Skin Problems: Even some common skin ailments could be related to gut health. Inflammation in your gut can cause “leaking” of specific proteins into the rest of the body, which can then irritate the skin and cause conditions like eczema.

6. Autoimmune Issues: An unhealthy gut directly impacts immune function because over 70% of your immune system is housed in the gut. Autoimmune issues can arise when a weakened immune system mistakenly attacks itself rather than harmful environmental invaders.

7. Food Intolerance: Food intolerance is different from food allergies caused by an immune system reaction to specific foods. On the other hand, food intolerances could be caused by poor quality or “bad” bacteria in the gut. The diminished functionality of your gut to digest certain foods can be caused by this bacteria and lead to a whole host of your usual suspects in stomach issues: difficult digestion, bloating, gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea.

While the signs of an unhealthy gut can feel overwhelming, there are things you can do (even starting today!) to help improve your gut health.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO IMPROVE GUT HEALTH

1. De-Stress: It should be no surprise that stress, especially chronic stress, can be hard on your health, including gut health. There are various ways to lower your stress levels: meditation, exercise (walking and yoga), massage, quality time with the people you love, diffusing essential oils, decreasing caffeine intake, laughing, even having a pet can help lower stress levels.

2. Get Enough Sleep: Just like stress, it shouldn’t be surprising that sleep–and getting enough quality sleep–can positively affect your health in a number of ways (including gut health). Try to prioritize getting 7 to 8 uninterrupted hours a night.

3. Slow Down and Enjoy Your Food: Slowing down to enjoy your food by properly chewing doesn’t just help your brain signal your fullness levels better to control overeating, it can help promote good digestion and the absorption of nutrients–which contribute to a healthy gut and a healthier body overall.

4. Drink Water: Staying hydrated is terrific for your health, and your gut health is no exception. For the gut specifically, drinking enough water has been shown to benefit the mucosal lining of the intestines and help balance “good” bacteria in your microbiome. It’s simple. It’s available right now. Pause reading this to have a glass of water.

See Gut continued on page 23

PAGE 22 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

Exit continued from page 15 for your company so when offers come in you are prepared. Lastly, making your employees aware of the sale and incentivizing them will motivate them to help push it across the finish line. Next month we will conclude our threepart business owner exit series by discussing the option of building substantial personal wealth and exiting as an absentee owner.

“As much as you might love running your business, you must have an end-goal in the plan. At the very least, an exit strategy keeps you from turning your business into a glorified job – working from home, but with longer hours.” ~ Kevin J. Donaldson To schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation, please contact me at 925-786-7686 or email peter.waldron@lfg.com.

Peter T. Waldron, California Insurance License #0E47827, is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a broker/dealer, member SIPC, and offers investment advisory services through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a registered investment advisor, Spectrum Wealth Partners, 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 190 PO Box 528, Alamo, CA 94507. Spectrum Wealth Partners is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors. Insurance is offered through Lincoln Marketing and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies. This material is for use with the general public and is designed for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, tax or direct investment advice. Lincoln Financial Advisors does not offer legal or tax advice. CRN-4338782-021722 Advertorial

FAMILY CAREGIVER EDUCATION SERIES

If you’re caring for an elderly family member, Hope Hospice (HH) is here to help with a free education series, now offered as interactive classes through Zoom. Recordings of past events are available on our website, too.

• March 10, 10–11:30AM ~ “Living With Dementia: Managing Daily Care” Providing daily care for a loved one with dementia can present overwhelming demands on the family caregiver, often leading to frustration and exhaustion. With the goal of enhancing the overall well-being of all involved, HHs dementia specialists will offer strategies for planning daily activities such as dressing, dining, personal hygiene, and exercising, and discuss the impact of social and leisure activities.

• April 14, 10–11:30AM ~ “Understanding Advanced Illness” At times, it seems as if what may have begun as a single medical diagnosis morphs into many. HH clinical staff will provide information about the most prevalent coexisting medical conditions among the elderly and the importance of medication management. Guidance will also be provided in determining when it is appropriate for comfort care to be considered in place of curative care and aggressive treatments.

Register at HopeHospice.com/family. For questions, call (925) 829-8770.

EXCHANGE CLUB

The Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley meets for lunch the second Wednesday of every month. Sign-in and social time begin at 11:30AM. The meeting starts promptly at noon and ends promptly at 1PM. The one-hour program features guest speakers and business networking. Guests are welcome with luncheon reservations. The cost is $20 for members and first time guests, and $23 for returning guests. For reservations and information, please contact Karen Stepper at 925-998-8865 or coachstepper@yahoo.com.

DANVILLE LIONS CLUB

The Danville Lions Club meets at 5PM on the first Tuesday of the month and also at 6:30PM on the third Wednesday of the month. The group is looking for like-minded people who wish to volunteer their time for good causes to join the club. The group is a dinner-time club and meets at restaurants for dinner and business meetings in Danville. Danville Lions raise funds and provide services to those in need, both locally and worldwide through fun and gratifying projects. Lions are well known for successful initiatives in vision health. Please visit www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/ danvilleca to learn more or contact Club president Diana Gaines at 925-719-1553.

KIWANIS CLUB OF SAN RAMON VALLEY

The Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley meets every Thursday at noon at Black Bear Diner located at 807 Camino Ramon in Danville. The Club organizes the Kiwanis 4th of July Parade in Danville and many other exciting events.

The Club has an interesting and informative weekly program speaker and specializes in fun and entertaining camaraderie. There is no charge for a guest lunch.

For more information, email info@srvkiwanis.org, or visit www.srvkiwanis.org.

LOCAL ROTARY CLUBS

The Rotary Club of Alamo meets Wednesdays at 12:15PM. For information about the group visit alamorotary.org, email alamorotary@hotmail.com, or call 925-718-6601.

The Danville Rotary Club meets every Monday at noon. Learn more at danvillerotary. org. If you are interested in the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club, contact Daniel Kodam at daniel@dsvrotary.com, call 925-336-0000, or visit dsvrotary.com. The Rotary Club of San Ramon Valley meets every Wednesday night from 7PM-8:30PM. For more information, call Valerie Munoz at 925-683-6310 or visit www.sanramonvalleyrotary.com.

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WHOA, WHAT’S QWO?

A GREAT NEW SOLUTION FOR TREATING CELLULITE

By Jerome Potozkin, MD Two years ago, a young woman, who we will refer to as Angie, came to see me because she was bothered by cellulite on her buttocks. It was March and she was dreading the warmer weather and the thought of donning a bathing suit. At the time I didn’t have any great options to offer her.

There had been several devices that came to market, but I wasn’t overly impressed with what was available. All of that changed a year ago when Qwo became available. The FDA approved Qwo to treat cellulite in the buttocks of adult women.

If you have cellulite don’t blame yourself. It has nothing to do with your diet or how much you’re exercising. Ninety percent of women will develop cellulite and many are bothered by it. Those annoying dimples of cellulite are the result of three things: thinning of the skin, fibrous bands tethering and pulling down on the skin, and fat cells enlarging and pushing up against the skin. It makes many people like Angie dread bathing suit season. Now there is new hope with this safe and effective treatment.

Qwo is an enzyme known as collagenase and is delivered as a prescription medicine that is injected into areas of cellulite. The exact mechanism of action is not fully known, but it is thought to work by breaking down the fibrous bands that tether the skin down, redistributing fat, and stimulating collagen production. Most people will require three treatments, waiting about three weeks in between.

The first thing we do is map out the cellulite dimples that we want to inject. Qwo is injected through a tiny needle and most people can barely feel the injections. The treatments take about 10 minutes. The biggest downside with Qwo is that patients can have very significant, dramatic bruising after treatment. Some patients find that compression garments can help minimize the bruising. Results take several weeks to appear. In my experience, patients are surprised at how easy the treatments are and are extremely pleased with their results. Fees typically range from $2,300-3,000 for a series of three treatment sessions depending upon how many areas are treated.

If you have cellulite we are happy to help. Call us today to schedule your consultation.

Dr. Jerome Potozkin is a Board Certified Dermatologist specializing in minimally and non-invasive cosmetic procedures. The practice is accepting new patients and can be reached at (925) 838-4900 and www.MyBeautyMd.com.

Advertorial

Facebook: Alamo Today & Danville Today News | editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Gut continued from page 20 5. Have Your Food Intolerance Levels Checked: Eliminating common “trigger foods” to see if symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and acid reflux are caused by food intolerance is an easy way to identify which foods are causing you problems. Knowing which foods to avoid means your digestive system is doing less overtime work, and your gut is happier and healthier.

Between the immune system, heart, brain, mood, sleep, digestion and more, your gut is one of the most amazing, fascinating, hardworking systems in your body. Prioritizing its care is one of the best things you can do for whole-body health and wellness. At Align, we provide support and testing to help you correct your imbalances and get your health back on track so you can feel better, look better and live your best life.

Dr. Niele Maimone, DC of Align Healing Center in Danville, has been active in natural health & wellness since 1999. For more information or to set up a consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com. Advertorial

Cake continued from page 20 organization. Running a lean ship, Cake4Kids operates without an office. The website now lists many chapters throughout California and others extending from Washington and Oregon to Georgia and Massachusetts. If you don’t find one in your local area, the website also supplies information on how to start a chapter as a volunteer Cake4Kids Ambassador. Ambassadors receive support from the Cake4Kids leadership and operations staff all along the way, but they are responsible for recruiting volunteers for their chapter and must commit to doing annual chapter fundraising.

Prior to COVID complications, Cake4Kids ran an annual in-person fundraiser with bakers showing off their skills in a live competition. This year the event will be virtual. Viewers will be able to bid on their favorite cakes and win a sweet treat while supporting a worthy cause. Watch for more details on the April 8th and 9th Virtual Cake-Off and learn more about volunteering or donating funds at www.cake4kids.org. Save September 15, 2022, for the Cake4Kids Celebration Benefit Dinner in Palo Alto.

March 2022 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 23

TELECARE CONNECTS WITH THE HOMEBOUND

Since 1971, member volunteers of TeleCare, a philanthropic program of Assistance League® of Diablo Valley, have been making A weekday reassurance calls to seniors and the homebound in our reas community. C Clients can anticipate a friendly exchange of ideas who provide high quality, consistent comwith trained volunteers vol munications. If a client cannot be reached, family members munic will be notified.

This service is free! Make that call to get you or someone you know connected! For more informasom tion, call 925-934-0901. To learn about Assistance tio League of Diablo Valley’s other philanthropic programs, please visit www. assistanceleague.org/diablo-valley.

To advertise,to share pictures, or a story idea, please contact us at 925.405.6397 or Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com

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Place Your Classified

Reach over 28,000 homes and businesses in Alamo, Danville, & Diablo.$50 for up to 35 words,$5 for each additional 15 words. Email editor@yourmonthlypaper.com or call 925-4056397 to place your ad. We reserve the right to reject any ad.

PAGE 24 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • March 2022

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What’s Your Home Worth?

Visit www.assessmyequity.com to find out for FREE! Jon Ahern, Real Estate Broker 925.838.9999 | jon@ahernregroup.com

Camille Ahern, CLHMS, Real Estate Professional

DRE# 01169357

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925.963.0068 | camille@ahernregroup.com

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Coldwell Banker is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. This is not intended to solicit property already listed.

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